Fairy Tail
by superfreakerz
Summary: Fairy tale AU. Lucy Ashley was nothing more than a twenty year old living in the slums of Seattle until she was teleported into another world by a book of fairy tales. Or what she thought were just fairy tales. Now she's traveling with a dragon slayer and a flying cat to return everyone's happy endings in order to return home. But by the end of their journey, would she want to?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Hello everyone! This is my newest nalu story! It's a fairy tale AU! It's inspired by Once Upon a Time, a little bit of Mslead's _Parallels,_ and SmurfLuvsCookies' _A Tale Or Two._ Because FF doesn't let me post decent summaries because of character limit, I'm going to give a more detailed one here:

 _Lucy Ashley was nothing more than a twenty year old living in the slums of Seattle until she was teleported into another world by a book of fairy tales. Or what she thought were fairy tales. Lucy quickly finds out that the stories she grew up with were more than just stories and that their happy endings were taken away by a curse set by the King. Thus, she travels with a pink-haired dragon slayer and his flying cat because in order to return home, she has to deliver the characters happy endings. But by the end of their journey, would she really want to go back?_

Now let me describe the stories. They are the classic fairy tales we know and love but with huge twists. So, if you're expecting the basic fairy tales, this story may not be for you lol.

I wasn't expecting to post this yet because I don't like having more than two stories going on at a time but I already have so many chapters written and I already love this story so I figured I would post it early. Hope you like it! :)

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the stories I reference._

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Chapter 1

How It All Began

It was a warm, beautiful day in the kingdom of Fiore. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, its rays warming the citizens below. Streets were full of stands, selling food and little trinkets. Boisterous laughter filled the air. The kingdom was happy that day for one reason: their beloved King and Queen finally announced they were having a child.

There were betting pools, people gambling the sex of the unborn child. Soon enough, it was announced the royal couple was going to have a daughter.

King Jude Heartfilia smiled at his wife, tears welling in his eyes. The man was a righteous ruler, fair and kind, and that was why the kingdom loved him. He had dirty blonde hair and a well-trimmed, bushy mustache.

Queen Layla Heartfilia was laying in bed. The woman had beautiful locks of golden hair and soft brown eyes. Her skin was fair and she always had a gentle smile on her face. She too had happy tears clouding her vision.

"We're having a girl," the queen whispered, scared that speaking any louder would ruin the moment.

"Thank the heavens," Jude replied, placing his forehead on his wife's.

"Are you sure you are alright with a girl? I know you were looking forward to a son so you would have someone to take over the throne."

"Worry not. I love our child regardless. Besides, our little girl can rule the throne so long as she gets her smarts from you."

The couple placed a hand on Layla's belly, which was just starting to show. Soon she would have to drop the corsets for some looser fitting clothing.

The happiness in the kingdom never wavered as everyone excitedly awaited the arrival of their new princess. Everyone dropped by to deliver presents. The Fullbusters delivered an ice sculpture of the Heartfilia couple holding a newborn baby, kept together by magic so as to never melt by the sun. Makarov and his young grandchild, Laxus, gave them a golden zodiac key, Taurus, to summon whenever needed to keep their child safe. Even Igneel the Flame Dragon King, who was also dear friends with the couple, flew by and dropped off a blanket made from his scales.

The nine months went by in a blur until finally the baby was delivered. The king threw a grand ball to celebrate the arrival of his daughter, who was born with spectacular golden hair, brighter than her mother's and rather long for only an infant. She also inherited beautiful brown eyes from her mother, though they were closed at the time as she slept peacefully.

"Congratulations, Layla!" Igneel said as he landed outside of the castle, carful so as to not step on anything.

"Thank you, Igneel," Layla replied with a kind smile as she held her newborn baby.

"What is her name?"

Layla and Jude shared a glance before smiling at each other.

"Lucy," the queen answered fondly. "Her name is Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

The dragon grinned. "That is a wonderful name! Take a look at her blanket!"

The couple arched their brows before listening to the dragon, glancing at the blanket their child was wrapped in. It was white in color with a purple embroidery around the edges. Then their eyes landed on the new stiches. _Lucy_ was now stitched into the blanket.

"How did you do that?" Jude questioned.

Igneel laughed and answered, "Magic! I had the witch Porylusica put a spell on the blanket so that once you named your child, it would appear on the blanket!"

"Thank you, Igneel. It's wonderful," Layla stated. Suddenly, the woman winced and placed a hand on her stomach in pain.

"Layla?" Jude questioned worriedly. "Are you alright? What is wrong?"

The queen gave a weak smile before shaking her head. "I am alright, dear. I just have some stomach pains after the delivery. They shall pass with time. Anyways, Igneel, have you ever thought about having children of your own?"

The dragon scoffed. "No way. I could never raise I child."

"I think you'd be surprised. I think you would be an excellent father."

The dragon smiled before flapping his wings. "And I _know_ you'll be an excellent mother. I should get going now. I have a lot to do tonight. Congrats again, Layla. You too, Jude."

The couple waved after Igneel as he flew away into the night. They then returned to the party, receiving countless of congratulations. The day was such a blessed day. After years of constantly trying to conceive a child, the royal couple was about to lose hope, growing sadder as the days went by. Just as they were about to give up, Lucy was miraculously conceived. She was a miracle baby.

When the party ended, Layla and Jude gently placed their newborn in her grand crib. Her nursery was full of toys, ready to be played with the next day. For now, Lucy needed to sleep. Placing gentle kisses on their baby's forehead, the couple went to their own room for the night, tired after all the day had offered them.

Little did they know someone was watching from far away, waiting for their moment to strike. The man was tall and lanky with thick eyebrows and a thin mustache. He wore a flamboyant coat and a witch hat, causing him to look like a wizard.

"It's time," the man snarled.

The man vanished from his spot far in the woods and teleported inside of Lucy's bedroom, completely avoiding the guards posted around the castle or patrolling the halls. The intruder walked towards the crib and peered to find the royal daughter sleeping peacefully. A wicked smile appeared on the man's face as he swooped her into his arms, affectively making her cry in the process.

"The baby is crying," a guard said outside of the room.

"That is what babies do," another replied.

"Should we alert the queen?"

"There is no need," a feminine voice called out. "I am awake. I will take care of Lucy."

The man cursed under his breath, recognizing the voice as the Queen's. Soon enough, the door burst open, Layla appearing in the doorway.

"W-What are you doing?" she asked with wide, questioning eyes. Though, they lacked fear.

"Hello, your Highness," the man replied, bowing while holding Lucy in his arms. "I am sorry to say that my time serving you is up. I am here for your child."

"Layla, what is the matter?" Jude asked as he stepped into the room. "Jose? What are you doing in here with Lucy?"

"As I told your lovely wife, I am here for this little ray of sunshine," the man, now known as Jose, answered.

Now fear appeared in the couple's eyes as they ran towards their daughter. Jose cackled before vanishing from their sight, along with Lucy.

"After them!" Jude ordered. "Jose of the Royal Guards has taken our daughter!"

The knights were then ushered out of the castle on a hunt for the abducted princess.

"We must go look as well!" Layla shouted, hoisting her dress up and rushing out the castle.

"But it is dangerous!" Jude countered.

"I do not care! That vile man has our daughter! We must get her back!"

Jude nodded, and with that the two were running out of the castle and towards the woods where Jose was sure to be, considering it was the only place around to hide in. They ran and ran until they stumbled upon a trail of footprints.

"This way!" Jude told his wife as they followed the trail.

Soon enough, they found Jose and Lucy, the former muttering something under his breath.

"Jose!" Layla called out.

The man sighed and turned to face the couple. "What is it, dear? Can't you see I'm busy?"

The queen pulled out a golden key, Taurus, and prepared for battle. Just as she was about to summon the spirit, Jose pulled out a dagger and held it to Lucy's neck, who was squirming in his hold, wailing.

"Why are you doing this?" Layla asked, falling to her knees in despair. "Is it for money? The throne? We will give all of that to you if you just give us our daughter!"

Jose chuckled and replied, "I spin straw into gold, your Highness. I am in no need of wealth."

"Then why are you doing this!?" Jude barked.

Jose pointed at the King and answered, "Because of you. Well, not you exactly. I've lived many, many years. I am a magical man with a long life force. Your great grandmother was nothing but a miller's daughter, who was going to be executed by the king unless she spun him some gold. I appeared to her and we made a deal. I would get her great, great granddaughter while she would live."

"Why would she make a deal like that!?"

"Why not? It's not as if she would ever meet her great, great granddaughter anyways."

"Why do you want Lucy?" Layla questioned. "You could have asked for her child or even grandchild, but you asked for her great, great, _granddaughter._ You knew that it would be a girl. You see the future, don't you?"

"Indeed I do!" Jose answered with a wicked grin. "And your daughter possesses a power that is passed down strictly through the Heartfilia line!"

"Then take me instead if I have the power!"

"Sorry, your Highness. The power skips generations. It needs to be little Lucy here. Surely you understand."

Layla stood from the dirt with determination gleaming in her eyes. "Then let's make a deal of our own."

Jose studied the woman curiously before nodding. "Alright. I will make a deal with you. I will give you your daughter _if_ you can tell me my name. Careful, you only get one chance."

The couple glanced at each other with arched brows.

"That's it?" Jude questioned.

Jose smirked and nodded.

"Your name is Jose," Layla stated.

The man's smirk grew as he shook his head. "Sorry, that is only a name I have been using under your watch. That is not my real name. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going."

Jose began to walk away, leaving the couple with stunned expressions. With a burst of courage, the queen dashed towards the unsuspecting man and knocked him to the ground. Lucy fell from his arms, wailing as she fell. Jude ran as fast as he could to catch his daughter, but he knew he didn't make it in time.

Suddenly, a golden portal appeared underneath the falling child. And in the blink of an eye, Lucy went through. Layla gasped as her keys were sucked into the portal. Jude dashed towards it, trying to jump in to retrieve his daughter, but it closed before he could reach it.

"NO!" Jose shouted, pushing Layla off of him and scurrying to where the portal was before. He clawed at the dirt, hoping to bring the child back. "You _fools!_ Now I cannot harvest her power for my own!"

"L-Lucy…" Layla breathed out. "Where is she?"

"Don't you see? She's in another world now! She went through the portal!"

"I-Is that the power you wanted?"

"Of course! She is the only one that can do such a thing!"

"My baby is gone…" Layla said, burying her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "My baby!"

"How do we get her back!?" Jude demanded, grabbing the vile man by his collar.

"You don't," Jose answered sourly. Suddenly, his head reeled back and his eyes rolled backwards into their sockets. "I am seeing it now… She will return one day… She will save the land from a wicked curse… What a shame, only one of you will be there to see it, isn't that right, Layla?"

Jude dropped the man and turned to face his wife. "What is he talking about?"

Layla shook her head and replied, "I-I'm sick, dear."

With that, the King fell to his feet. He just lost his daughter and learned he was going to lose his wife.

"At least you will be there to see our daughter again," Layla said, caressing her husband's cheek.

"Actually," Jose began with a twisted smile, "that is only if I don't find her first."

And with that, the man disappeared in the blink of an eye and was never found. Five years later, Layla finally succumbed to her sickness and passed in her sleep, the depression of losing her daughter only making her death come faster.

Jude, who was once a kind and fair king, turned cold and ruthless. He raised taxes unfairly, disbanded the Royal Guards, and never once let someone enter his castle other than the guards to patrol. The citizens became unhappy, waiting for their kind king to return. Information of what happened to Lucy spread quickly throughout the kingdom, and they all knew they could only wait for Lucy to return and bring her father some happiness.

* * *

One day, a year after Layla's death, Jude peered from his windows and stared at his citizens below. They were actually _smiling._ How could they smile after Layla's death? How could they be so happy when he was completely devastated?

"I hear exactly what you want," a sudden voice called out from behind him.

Jude recognized the voice as the man who took his daughter. He turned fast on his heel with a sour glare. "You!"

"It is nice to see you again, your Majesty!" Jose greeted, mockingly bowing to his King.

"What do you want?"

Jose smirked and paced around the grand room. "It's not about what I want. It's about what _you_ want. You see them, don't you? Your loyal subjects. Are they really loyal though if they have the nerve to be happy after Layla's death?"

"Don't you dare say her name," the King seethed.

"Alright, alright. There is no need to get so angry. I came here to give you what you want."

"What I want? And what exactly is that?"

"Fairness," Jose answered. "You hate the fact that they can smile so easily, don't you? After all, first Lucy disappeared and now their Queen is dead. How could they be so happy? Obviously they never cared for Layla in the first place."

"Y-You're lying," Jude replied.

"I am only here because you thought it first. I have a curse I can do."

"A curse?"

"Yes. It won't kill them, but it will take away their happy endings, just as yours was taken from you."

Jude studied the man, considering it before asking, "And what do you want in return? I am aware everything comes with a price with you."

Jose smiled and answered, "Free of charge! Let's say this is my way to make up for what happened those years ago!"

Jude knew the man was lying, that he had some ulterior motive. He glanced outside the window again and scowled seeing so many happy faces. It wasn't fair. How could they be so happy with Layla gone?

"Fine," Jude finally said. "Do it."

Jose grinned maniacally and cast the curse. Purple smoke appeared and began to engulf the kingdom. People tried running away but could not escape it. And with that, their happily ever afters were stripped from them. There were no more happy endings.

But every curse can be broken.

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 **AN:** So it's pretty obvious how Once Upon a Time inspired me lol. Mslead's story inspired me with the portal to another world and SmurfLuvCookies' story inspired me to write a fairy tale nalu fanfic. So this was like a prologue kinda! The next chapter involves a grown Lucy, I promise! Please review and tell me what you think. :')


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** So far I've gotten nothing but lovely reviews so I'm even more excited to share this story with you all. :') As promised, Lucy is now going to actually start her role in the story. Sorry it's a short chapter, but things start rolling next chapter, I promise!

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Chapter 2

Book of Fairy Tales

In the bustling city of Seattle, a beautiful blonde with long golden locks reaching the bottom of her belly woke with a loud yawn and a stretch. With a frown, the girl got out of bed and began to make herself some breakfast, scrambled eggs and a piece of toast slathered with strawberry jam. She watched the news while she ate, sad to see the typical murder story or kidnapping.

Then, it was time to work. Going to her desk, the girl picked up a pen and began to write. She was in the process of writing a new story. She was an aspiring author with no books published, simply because she was too scared of them being rejected. At least she had an editor.

Picking up her phone, the blonde sighed and dialed the familiar number. It rang twice before a woman answered with a nasally, snobbish voice.

"Hello?" the other woman greeted. "Lucy? What do you want? Did you write another chapter?"

The blonde smiled and answered, "Yep! I was wondering if you could check it out!"

"Email it to me."

Lucy did as she was told and emailed her newest completed chapter to her editor. And as always, the other woman completely desecrated it with harsh criticism.

"Listen, Lucy," the woman began, not sounding apologetic in the slightest, "I can't work for you anymore."

"W-What?" Lucy questioned. "B-But I've been working really hard!"

"Yeah, and your stories still look like a two year old wrote them. I can never get you published anywhere."

"I-Is this because of money? I can pay you more!"

The woman sighed. "You can't. You are just a waitress working in a crummy diner. You can't pay me any more than you already have. And I can't get you published. If I were you, I would just give up."

And with that, the line went dead, leaving Lucy to stare blankly ahead with blurred vision. Tears flowed through her eyes and down her cheeks silently as she laid her head on her desk.

" _Maybe I should just give up,"_ the girl thought. She then shook her head and sat up. " _No way! I can't give up! I just need some reassurance!"_

Standing up, Lucy went to her bed and picked up her blanket. It was a strange, white scaley blanket with a purple embroidery around the edges, her name stitched into it. That blanket and some strange golden keys were all she had when she was found in the forest by a hiking couple. She always assumed they were from her parents. After all, who else would they be from? The hiking couple said there was nobody around her when they found her.

There were many times in Lucy's life that she felt abandoned, unloved. The girl always wondered about her past. Why was she in some forest? Where were her parents? They obviously left her there in that forest, but why? If they were going to abandon her, why did they leave her a blanket and some strange keys? Despite these negative questions, the blonde held hope that one day she would find her parents and get some answers. She could only hope it was all just a big misunderstanding and that her parents were searching for her every day, missing her as much as she missed them.

How was it possible she could miss someone she never met so badly?

Lucy wrapped the blanket around herself and cradled the keys close to her chest.

"Hello, Mama, Papa," she said aloud. "I don't know what you two are up to today, but I hope you're doing well. My editor just quit on me today, but that's okay! I _will_ get a book published and I will get my name out there! Then you guys will see my name and my face and hopefully recognize me. Then we'll be a family…"

Sighing, Lucy removed the blanket and looped her keyring back onto her belt loop. That was why she became a writer in the first place, to find her parents. She tried researching them, but strangely no information popped up at all. Usually the internet could give information on anyone thanks to social media, but there was absolutely nothing in regards to her parents. She was alone, always had been.

After being found in the forest, the hiking couple that found her turned her over to the police, who in turn handed her over to the foster care system. Sadly, Lucy was never adopted, for in a big city like Seattle, there were countless of kids needing to be adopted. She never made friends, too focused on her books and finding her parents.

She graduated high school alone, working in a restaurant to pay the bills. She lived on the top floor of a tall, tower-like apartment complex, isolating herself from the world. All she wanted was to find her parents, but the only way to do that was for them to find her first.

" _And that's not gonna happen without an editor to help get me published,"_ the girl thought. _"But since it's my first day off from the restaurant in a while, I guess I could take it easy today."_

With an excited smile, Lucy quickly got ready for the day, throwing on a hot pink mini skirt and a black tank-top. Making sure she didn't forget her strange golden keys- they provided her comfort- the girl skipped out of her apartment towards the one place in the city she felt she belonged in: the bookstore.

When she arrived, Lucy greeted the cashier with a friendly smile and browsed through the aisles to find an interesting book she could drown herself in. She ended up finding one, a mystery romance novel, and took it to her signature table in the corner, far from everyone else. The girl read it cover to cover until the sun in the sky was replaced with the moon.

"Ma'am, the store will be closing soon," an employee told the girl. "And next time, if you want to read the book, you should purchase it."

Lucy flushed from head to toe and squeaked, "I'm sorry!"

The employee smiled at her forgivingly before walking away. Lucy got up to put the book on the shelf. She was going to leave the store before a thick book covered in dust caught her attention. Pulling it from the shelf, she found that it was a book of fairy tales, the popular ones that were known everywhere. However, taking a closer glance, she found that the first chapter was ripped out and that the stories were different than the ones she had heard.

An employee then spoke into the intercom, reminding the lingering customers like herself that the store was closing. Lucy was going to put the book back on the shelf, but felt intrigued to read more. Usually the fairy tale stories were sweet, sappy stories with princes and princesses and love at first sight, but this book seemed to have different versions. More realistic versions. She was intrigued and decided to buy it. After all, she was caught spending the whole day reading a book without buying it, she should at least buy something to make up for it.

Rushing to the counter, Lucy handed the cashier the book. "I'd like to buy this!"

The cashier arched a brow at the dusty, worn out book but scanned it anyways. "Have a nice day."

"You too!"

Lucy made sure to walk home as quickly as possible, taking the well-lit streets. Seattle wasn't known for its safeness, there was no way she could walk home at night with ease. Luckily, the girl made it home quickly and unharmed, the only problem during her journey being the few catcalls she received.

Lying in bed, Lucy turned on her lamp and got situated in her blanket, ready to read her newest book. Her fingers traced the spine where she could see pages were ripped out. Scanning the table of contents, she found that the first story, the one that was missing, was the story of Rapunzel.

" _I wonder why someone ripped it out,"_ Lucy thought. _"The person who did this probably really likes Rapunzel and didn't wanna buy the whole book."_

Shrugging it off, the blonde began to read the first page of the book that was left. It appeared to be a continuation of Rapunzel, the last page of the story. She briefly wondered why somebody would take the rest of the story but leave the last page. Wasn't that the most important page? Shrugging it off, she began to read.

"Because of this," Lucy read aloud, "the entire kingdom was cursed. Their happy ever afters were no more, leaving them to live unhappily. Until the savior arrives, they have no chance at happiness."

Lucy arched a brow and flipped the page, beginning to read the first actual story, only making it past the first paragraph when her body began to feel hot. Lucy removed her blanket and fanned herself, confused as to why her newfound heat was not going away. In fact, it was getting even hotter.

"A-Am I having a stroke or something?" Lucy warily asked aloud. "Is this a symptom for heart attacks?"

The heat quickly began to engulf her, causing the girl to yelp in pain. Her head became dizzy and her body felt like she was being drained of her energy.

"W-What is happening to me!?" she groaned, clutching her stomach in pain.

Her body raked with sobs as the pain only grew, along with the heat. It was something Lucy had never felt before in her entire life. It was like her body was growing numb and being burned at the same time.

" _Am I going to die? I haven't even been able to do anything! I haven't found my parents or fallen in love! I've never had any adventures! I just locked myself up in this place! I'm too young to die!"_

Just as an ache pounded in her head, Lucy released a loud scream and grasped her head, pulling at her golden locks. The girl could faintly hear her neighbors pounding on the door, asking if she was alright. Then, the burning stopped.

Lucy gasped for air, finally opening her eyes to survey her room. She found a bright light coming from her lap, where her keys were somehow glowing. Before the girl could take another breath, she suddenly found herself falling, engulfed in a bright light. Unable to keep her eyes open, she opted for screaming her lungs out instead, feeling like she was falling from the sky.

Somewhere during her fall, Lucy lost consciousness.

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 **AN:** Lucy has left Earth! :D So for this story, I'm not going to reply to reviews, simply because they take really long, I've gotten complaints for doing it, and I'm going to be really busy with school. I will reply to reviews to answer questions regarding the story or some constructive criticism! I do read all reviews though, so please still leave a lovely one for me. :)

 **Flire and Ice:** I update Monday and Thursday! And I also like your question regarding how the characters will come into play and I can tell you this: some will be super obvious whereas if you were to guess who they would be, it would probably be it, some will be just because I thought it fit even though others may not see it lol, some have long arcs, and some have short. Here's a hint for the first character that will come into play: they are one of the main characters. ;D

Thanks to all of the reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, Grizzly98, ThatOneFriend-3, Nalulove, Lunahartz, Alexa60765, Hsdust, Flire and Ice, IndianaCombs, Guest.** :')


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Lucy is officially in Earthland! :D Hope you all enjoy! :)

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Chapter 3

A Pinkette and a Blue Cat

When Lucy gained consciousness again in the early morning, she sat up quickly and clutched her head, which was still aching from whatever happened earlier. Her body felt heavy like lead, so instead of standing up, the blonde decided to take in her surroundings. To her surprise, she was no longer in her bedroom. Now, she was in a forest thick with trees.

Trees were all Lucy could see. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, the blonde realized that the polluted air of Seattle was replaced with air so fresh, she felt as though the world had restarted.

"W-Where am I?" Lucy asked aloud, tears gathering in her eyes. "This isn't possible. I've gotta be dreaming or something because I was just in my bed!"

All she had with her was her old flip-phone, blanket, keys, and the book she was reading when the strange hot flashes began. What exactly happened to her? Did somebody take her from her room and leave her out here? That would explain why she was suddenly in the forest. But who would take her? And what were those strange hot flashes?

Suddenly, there was a snap of a twig and Lucy clasped her hand over her mouth in order to suppress a scream. What if it was a murderer? With a newfound swiftness, the girl grabbed her things and dashed behind a tree to hide. Sure enough, the faint sound of footsteps grew louder.

"Sheesh, I'm hungry," a voice whined. It was a man.

"Me too," someone else replied, their voice higher pitched.

Despite Lucy only hearing one pair of footsteps, there were two people. Perhaps one was carrying the other?

"We should stay here tonight and get some food."

"Aye! As long as they have fish!"

The other man chuckled before their footsteps stopped. Lucy held back a whimper, feeling like they knew she was there. Why else would they randomly stop just a few feet away from her?`

"What is this, Happy?" the first man asked.

"I don't know," the other answered.

"Whoa, it opens. Is this a lacrima or something?"

"Who cares, I want fish!"

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the footsteps begin again as the two left. When she opened her eyes again, onyx eyes were staring into her chocolate brown orbs. A bloodcurdling scream escaped the blonde's throat as she pushed the person away and tried to sink into the tree she was sitting against.

"Oww! What the hell was that for!?" the man asked irately.

"Leave me alone!" she cried. "I-If you're trying to kill me, you got another thing coming! I know karate!"

"Sheesh, I was just gonna see if this lacrima thing was yours."

Lucy opened her eyes to see what exactly a _lacrima_ was to find a man sitting in front of her with cherry-blossom pink hair. His eyes were dark, slanted and big while his skin was slightly tanned. He wore baggy white pants and a strange opened coat with only one sleeve. He wore nothing underneath, revealing his toned abs. Around his neck was a scaly scarf, reminding her of her blanket.

"W-Who are you?" Lucy asked.

The boy grinned, revealing that he had some rather sharp teeth, and answered, "Natsu Dragneel! And this is Happy!"

"Happy?" Lucy repeated, following his pointed finger to find a blue cat with _wings_ flying at her side. She released another scream and shoved the mutated cat away from her. "W-Why the hell can he fly!? Is he mutated from pollution or something!?"

Scientists must have been experimenting on cats. That was the only explanation for a blue flying cat.

"Hey, that was rude!" the cat cried. "I'm not mutated, I'm an exceed!"

"YOU CAN TALK!?"

"Aye!"

Lucy stared at the two strangers with wide eyes and covered her mouth with her hands. Part of her wanted to run. She was so frightened of the two in front of her, she felt like they were going to eat her for breakfast. And she still had no idea where she was.

"This can't be happening," she said to herself. "I must be dreaming because there is no way in hell a talking cat exists." Pinching herself, the girl frowned. "Shit. This is real!? Where the hell am I!?"

Natsu covered his ears and glared at the strange girl. "You sure are loud. Anyways, what is this thing?"

Lucy arched a brow as Natsu held up her cell phone. "You mean my phone?"

"Phone?" the boy repeated. "What's that?"

"You're messing with me, aren't you!"

"Why would I be messing with you? You _are_ weird though."

Lucy smacked the guy upside the head and shouted, "That's rude! And how do you not know what a phone is?"

Natsu rubbed the soon to be bruised spot and answered, "I've seen all kinds of lacrimas, but not this one before. Did you make it?"

"No… Whatever, this doesn't matter. Where are we exactly?"

"We're on the outskirts of Shirotsume."

"Shirotsume? I've never heard of that town before."

"You haven't? It's a pretty small town but most people know it. Are you not from Fiore?"

"Fiore?" Lucy repeated, feeling even more panicked than before. "Where's that?"

Natsu raised a brow and answered, "The country we're in right now."

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat. "C-Country? We aren't in America!?"

"America?" Happy repeated. "Never heard of it!"

"B-But it's one of the most well-known countries on Earth!"

"Earth? You mean Earthland?"

"No, _Earth_!"

Natsu and Happy shared a confused look.

"This is Earthland," Natsu stated. "We're in the country of Fiore, outside the town of Shirotsume. We don't know where _America_ or _Earth_ is."

"There's a hotel in Shirotsume," Happy told the shaking girl. "You should stay there and get some sleep!"

"I-I don't need sleep, I need to go home," Lucy whimpered. "W-What are you guys doing here?"

Natsu perked up and answered, "I'm looking for my dad, Igneel! I traced his smell all the way here! I haven't smelled him in so long and now I found it! Have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't. Sorry. Wait, you traced his smell here? How is that even possible?"

Natsu cocked his head to the side as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm a dragon slayer," he stated with a hint of cockiness.

Lucy scoffed. "Now I know you're messing with me. Dragons aren't real."

The boy glowered at her, his cheery expression now gone, and replied, "Yes they are. Don't tell me they ain't real when Igneel raised me!"

"You're telling me that your dad was a dragon? C'mon, if you're going to lie to me you could at least come up with a good lie."

"It's the truth! Igneel is a dragon and I'm a dragon slayer! That's how I knew you were here, I smelled you!"

Lucy crossed her arms and shouted, "Dragons aren't real!" She needed to at least have _some_ control in her rather hopeless situation. Besides, she wasn't fond of some stranger belittling her, telling her dragons exist.

"Yes they _are!"_ Natsu shot back, his body engulfed in flames.

Lucy screamed and tried to back away, only to remember she was leaning on a tree. Soon enough, the flames died down, revealing a scowling but unscathed Natsu.

"H-How did you do that?" the blonde questioned with significantly wide eyes. She felt like her head was going to explode.

"Like I said, I'm a dragon slayer," he answered. "Let's go, Happy! We've gotta find Igneel! I can still smell him, he's close!"

"Aye!" the cat replied, flying to follow his friend.

Natsu stood up and sniffed the air. His brows shot up and he turned to face Lucy with wide eyes. Then he glared at her.

"You lied to me," he said.

"W-What?" Lucy questioned. She had a feeling the angry look on the boy's face meant trouble.

"You said you've never met Igneel before but you're covered in his scent! Where is he!?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the blonde cried, tears falling from her eyes once again. "I don't know any of this! I just woke up in a country I've never heard of, saw a flying cat, and now saw a guy light himself on fire without getting burned!"

Natsu reeled back from the girl's sudden volume before his eyes landed on the blanket next to her.

"Where did you get that blanket?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"The blanket. Where did you get it?"

"I-I don't know, it was apparently wrapped around me when I was found in the forest when I was a baby."

"You were found in the forest as a baby?" Happy questioned. "Is that your thing? Waking up in forests?"

"Shut up, cat. Anyways, why are you so curious about my blanket?" Lucy asked Natsu, who was staring at it with hard eyes.

"It was made with Igneel's scales," Natsu replied. "Like my scarf. That must be why you smell like Igneel. How did you know him?"

"I didn't. And I'm sorry, but there's no way that this blanket was made from a dragon's scales. Your little fire act was impressive, but that doesn't mean dragons exist."

Natsu smirked before releasing a breath of fire to engulf the blonde, who wailed her arms frantically around.

"Don't worry, I made it so it won't hurt you," he said, cackling after. "That's your punishment for saying dragons aren't real."

"I take it back, now put it out!" Lucy squealed. Once Natsu obliged, she released a sigh of relief. "Okay, since I'm not dreaming, I am in Earthland, correct?" The two nodded. "And Earthland is this world?"

"Yep!" the two answered in unison.

"And that fire trick you did, what was that?" Lucy asked.

"Magic!" Natsu answered with a wide grin.

"M-Magic? No way… Okay, so I'm in a new world that has no technology, has magic, and apparently dragons. So how the hell did I end up here?"

"What happened before you got here?" Happy asked.

"I was reading this book I got and-"

Lucy's words stopped as her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes widened. " _Wait a second… The book I was reading is about fairy tales and there is magic there… Is it possible I'm…"_

Frantically grabbing the book, the blonde flipped through the pages, looking for any possible clues. Then, she got to the last page.

"What is it?" Natsu asked, confused by the strange girl's random behavior.

Happy snatched the book, seeing that Lucy was too stunned to speak, and read the page aloud.

"One day, the savior will create a portal," he began, "and teleport back into this world. It is her job to break the curse, bringing back everyone's happy ever afters one by one. In order to return to the world she came from, the savior will first need to go through each story and bring back the characters' happiness."

"Wait a second," Natsu started, "is it talking about the curse King Heartfilia put on the kingdom?"

"Sounds like it!" Happy replied with wide eyes. They then looked to Lucy. "Then that means…"

"You're the savior," Natsu finished for the exceed, staring at the blonde girl who had yet to speak.

Lucy stayed silent, staring at her hands in confusion and shock. She was a savior? All the Disney movies were actually real and were part of another world? And now _she_ was a part of it?

"The only way I can get home is to go through each story, isn't it?" she asked in a low whisper.

"Looks that way," Natsu answered. He grinned at the distraught girl and continued, "We'll help you!"

"You will?" Lucy asked, staring into his eyes with hope.

"Yeah! You're the savior, so helping you would be a good thing! Besides, I've gotta figure out where you got that blanket from, so the three of us are going to be traveling together for a while!"

"Aye! We'll stay at Shirotsume today so that you can rest!" Happy added.

Lucy's bottom lip quivered as she stared at the two in front of her, grateful that she would have some companions to help her out. Standing up, the blonde dusted off her skirt and smiled at her new friends.

"Well, let's go!"

* * *

 **AN:** So Lucy, Natsu, and Happy are all together now! Yay! :D Btw, you find out what the first fairy tale is next chapter (but won't exactly be starting it). Here's an unhelpful hint as to who it is: it's my absolute favorite Disney movie lol.

Thanks to these reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, Nalulove, Guest, An Amber Pen, IndianaCombs, Lunahartz.** You guys are awesome. :')


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** So like I said last chapter, you find out what the first fairy tale in the book is, but we aren't starting that arc yet! Enjoy this chapter! :D

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Chapter 4

Shirotsume

Lucy squealed as she felt something brush against her ankle. The distraught blonde jumped feet away, looking for whatever fiend touched her skin. To her surprise and irritation, it was merely Happy's tail after he rubbed it on her once again in order to scare her. Apparently teasing her was fun to the two she was traveling with. Part of her wanted to go her own way but knew she wouldn't survive a day without them.

The trio had been traveling for nearly half an hour. Lucy stayed silent for the most part, still caught up in thought after what happened. First she teleported to some strange world, then she met a guy that breathed fire and a talking cat, and to top it all off, she found out that she was apparently some savior to save a bunch of fairytale characters, who just so happened to be real. Her day was pretty hectic so far to say the least.

At least Lucy was in good company. Though she quickly found out that they could be annoying, Natsu and Happy were probably the only things keeping her sane. They were playful towards each other and for some reason that calmed her. It made things more approachable.

"How much longer do we have to keep walking?" Lucy whined, grabbing onto the back of Natsu's coat so he could drag her along.

The boy sighed and answered, "Just a little longer. Sheesh, Luce. We've only been walking for half an hour and you're already tired? Do the people in your world not walk or something?"

"Well, we have cars to drive us around. So no, not really."

"What are cars?" Happy questioned, glad that the blonde they were now travelling with seemed to come to terms with everything.

"Oh right, you guys don't have that much technology. A car is a vehicle that operates on gas and you drive it around! It's convenient and makes travelling faster!"

"Sounds like a magic mobile to me!" the cat replied.

Suddenly, Natsu collapsed onto the ground in front of them, clutching his stomach in pain. Lucy squealed and kneeled beside the boy, turning him over to inspect his face. His cheeks were puffed out and his face was drained of color.

"What's wrong with him, Happy!?" Lucy frantically asked. There was no way her guide was going to die on her now.

The exceed shook his head and answered, "Nothing, Natsu just has motion sickness."

Lucy stared at the pinkette in confusion. "Motion sickness? But we weren't even in a vehicle!"

"Just the thought of one makes him sick."

"How pathetic."

"Aye!"

"Shut up," Natsu groaned.

Lucy shrugged and laid on the grass. She wanted to get to Shirotsume as quickly as possible so that she could wash up. Suddenly the girl jolted into a sitting position with fearful eyes, frightening the two with her.

"Please tell me you guys have showers!" Lucy exclaimed.

Natsu and Happy breathed a sigh of relief, knowing now that there was nothing serious to worry about.

"We aren't animals," Natsu said, narrowing his eyes at the blonde. "Well, I guess Happy is. But yes, we have showers and tubs and toilets."

Lucy sighed in relief and laid back down. The three relaxed in a comfortable silence for a while until Natsu got up, telling them it was time to go.

The rest of the walk was easy after Lucy had some time to rest. After about fifteen minutes of walking, the girl smiled seeing lights up ahead along with the ending of trees. With a newfound excitement to see the world she was currently in, she pushed Natsu and Happy to go faster until finally they were in Shirotsume.

Just as Natsu said, Shirotsume was a small village. Most of the cottages were small and run down. The streets were nearly empty, and those that were outside were clearly underfed and covered in dirt. Lucy felt bad for the townspeople. There were plenty of times she feared she wouldn't be able to pay her rent but she never struggled that bad financially.

Lucy followed Natsu and Happy, who seemed unfazed by the poverty-stricken citizens. She made sure to keep her gaze glued to the ground, not wanting to offend anybody, especially since she was clearly not poor.

Something latched onto her leg, causing the girl to squeal. Turning her head, she found a little boy holding her leg, tears welled in his eyes. He was in tattered clothes and had dirt covering his hands and face. His hair was even matted with grime. Lucy frowned for him in pity.

"Please," the boy began, "I'm so hungry… Please, Miss. If you have any food…"

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't have any food at all. If I had some, I would surely give it to you."

"Lucy, let's go," Natsu said with hard eyes. He seemed so unsympathetic, it surprised Lucy.

Lucy apologized to the boy and reluctantly followed her new comrades. Now she felt hesitant about being around them. How could they turn away from a boy in need so easily? Then she saw Natsu dig through his bag to fetch an apple, handing it to Happy. The cat nodded and flew to give it to the boy, who smiled and ate the fruit with such speed, it was clear he hadn't eaten in days.

Finally, the three found an inn, just as rundown as the rest of the village. Lucy was hesitant about staying there but knew she didn't have a choice. Staying in the woods would be much worse in her opinion and it wasn't like she was paying for the place.

" _Beggars can't be choosers,"_ she thought as she smiled to the lady at the front desk and accepted the key. She led the way towards their room, which was on the top floor, reminding Lucy of her apartment in Seattle. She missed home dearly and couldn't wait to be back.

Their room was indeed shabby. It was small and there was only one bed and a chair. Lucy didn't mind though seeing that there was a bathtub. It was small but it would do.

"Lucy," Natsu began as he closed the door behind them and stared at her with hard eyes, "you need to learn something. You can't talk to the townspeople here."

"Why not?" the girl asked in confusion. "All he wanted was some food."

"Did you have any to give?"

"No, but-"

"That's why. These people are all starving and poor. If you can't give them anything, it's best not to talk to them."

"But you did have something to give! You have food in your backpack!"

"Which is for us," Natsu replied, unsympathetically. "Unless you can feed _all_ of the townspeople, you shouldn't feed any of them. It isn't fair. Besides, we need this food for our journey. We don't have that much food in the first place and Happy and I aren't exactly rich."

Lucy frowned and crossed her arms. "I don't care. If I have to starve for a bit I will to feed someone else. I've had my fair share of food, I am fine with missing a meal or two. These people have nothing, the least we can do is share!"

Natsu narrowed his eyes at the girl and replied, "Well, when you get some food you can do that. But for us, we have a mission to do and no good will come out of it if we starve to death."

"You say that but you gave the kid an apple, so clearly you aren't as bad as you're trying to be."

The boy glared at Lucy before tossing Happy's knapsack at her.

"What's our first stop?" he asked, changing the subject.

Lucy's eyes widened as she forgot about that, her mission. Her mission to give fairy tale characters happy endings. She would never get used to that.

Flipping open the thick book, Lucy flipped to the first story. The blonde cringed at the title. Mulan. It wasn't that she didn't like the movie or anything, but the main character was in a war. Was she going to have to fight in the war with Mulan? There was no way she would live through it if she did!

"It's Mulan," Lucy finally told her travelling partners.

"Mulan?" Happy repeated. "I've never heard of that place before."

"It's not a place, it's a person," Lucy corrected. "Where I'm from, the characters in this book are just that, characters. To us they are fictional, made-up. Apparently here they are real people and I'm supposed to give them a happy ending somehow. The book doesn't care to explain in detail."

"So what is this Mulan person like?" Natsu asked.

"Well, where I'm from, her story is about a girl named Mulan, who isn't so skilled in her society. There's a war with the Huns and her father was forced to serve. The problem was, he was already injured in the last war, there was no way he would live if he served again. So, Mulan stole his armor and took his place, which was illegal because girls weren't allowed to fight."

"Really?" Happy questioned. "Why not?"

Lucy shrugged and answered, "Back then people thought girls were weak. Anyways, Mulan ended up being a great soldier. She made great strategies that led them to victory. But when they found out she was a girl, they kicked her out. Eventually she came back and saved the day and fell in love with the general and lived happily ever after. Well, there was a sequel, but they still had a happy ending."

"Apparently not," Natsu replied. "If those characters are from Earthland and are in Fiore, that means they were cursed by the King."

"Why would the King curse his people?"

Natsu shrugged and answered, "I don't really know the details but apparently he didn't like that everyone was happy after his wife died."

"That's terrible!" Lucy exclaimed. "There is no reason to take away other people's happiness! This king sounds like a total jerk!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed. "Now everyone in Fiore apparently can't have a happy ending!"

"Including you two?"

"Apprently," Natsu answered. "I don't like this curse. What if that's what is preventing me from finding Igneel? Finding Igneel is probably my happy ending, and until the curse is broken I won't be able to."

"That's terrible," Lucy repeated. "I-I don't know how to help, but if I'm the savior then I'll try my best!"

Natsu smiled at the blonde and nodded. She was whiny sometimes but it was clear she was determined. He liked the fire in her eyes.

"But first we're going to help this town!" Lucy stated with a smile.

Scratch that, maybe he didn't like her determination. Sighing, he told her, "We can't, Lucy! We are on a mission!"

"Exactly, on a mission to bring back the happy endings! These people deserve happiness too! Even if they aren't one of the characters in my book, they are still people with real feelings and I'm going to help them!"

Natsu growled and asked, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Lucy shrugged and answered, "I don't know. But they couldn't have always been this poor. Something must have happened here."

"Aye," Happy said. "Shirotsume apparently used to be a thriving village!"

"There you go! If we find out what happened, maybe we can fix it!"

"You two are hopeless," Natsu muttered irately. All he wanted was to figure out where Lucy got her blanket from and help her break the curse so he could find Igneel again. He wasn't expecting to help a town with their economic problems.

Lucy caught the dragon slayer's sour attitude and glared at him. "If you don't want to help, that's fine. I will help them myself. But if you help, it'll go by quicker and you'll be able to see your dragon again."

Natsu glowered at the girl and sarcastically replied, "Alright, Luce. Let's save Shirotsume."

* * *

 **AN:** So now you know the first fairy tale is Mulan, which is by far my favorite Disney movie lol. I used to watch it almost every week. :') And saving Shirotsume is their first mission! :D Hope you enjoyed and please review. :)

 **Lucydragneelft13:** Hello again! :) And I don't know what you mean by account with google lol. I have an instagram and a tumblr! :)

Thank you to these lovely reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Alexa60765, Lunahartz, LynsieTheBraveShadowHuntress, IndianaCombs, darkroses13, BloodedInk, lucydragneelft13.** :') You guys are awesome. :) And those that follow and favorite. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hi guys. Just a quick announcement, please don't message me telling me to hurry up and update when you don't even review the story. :') Like tbh it's kinda annoying. It's okay if you don't review but don't take the time to message me telling me to hurry up. :') Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter! :D

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Chapter 5

Stolen Bread

Lucy groaned as she yawned and raised her arms above her head in a stretch. The bed she slept on was considerably comfortable despite how shabby the inn appeared to be. The blonde turned her head to find Natsu still snoozing on the chair he slept in after she refused to sleep in the same bed as him. Happy was curled up in his lap, sleeping as well.

Lucy quietly got out of bed, tiptoeing towards the bathroom. She was careful not to make excessive noise so she didn't wake her travelling partners up. A wide smile graced her lips as she turned on the shower. After stripping, the blonde hopped in, excited to finally wash away all the dirt that clung to her body and her hair. Soon enough, her skin and hair was clean and she decided to step out to save hot water for Natsu.

" _I wish I could clean my clothes,"_ Lucy thought as she picked up her dirt-stained clothes with a frown. " _I don't want to keep wearing these."_

Sighing, she put the clothes back on. It wasn't like she had a choice, she had nothing else to wear. When the girl finally exited the bathroom, she found Natsu and Happy awake, reading her book of what was supposed to be just fairy tales.

"Finally, Lucy!" Happy exclaimed. "You almost took an hour in there!"

"Would've been an hour if there was a tub," the blonde replied with a smirk. "Did you guys find anything in that book about Shirotsume?"

Natsu growled and shook his head. "No, because it's not an important place. I'm telling you, Lucy, we should just go-"

"No," the girl interrupted, putting her hands on her hips. "We're helping these people. Or at least I am. I'm not leaving here until I help them!"

Natsu stood up and stalked to where Lucy was standing, invading her personal space to glare directly into her eyes. Lucy wanted to back away, feeling his hot breath on her face, but refused to. She would not let him know she feared him.

"I can just drag you, you know," Natsu stated. "You can't be that heavy."

"You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming then," Lucy replied. "And let me warn you, I have one hell of a kick."

The two continued to glare into each other's eyes, not wanting to back down. Eventually, Natsu growled and turned back to the book.

"Sheesh, what is with you anyways?" Lucy asked. "You were nice yesterday! Why are you such a grouch now?"

"Because I didn't think we would be stopping to help every single person we meet!" Natsu answered, fire flicking in his hands. "I thought we would just do all these stupid stories and somewhere along the way I would figure out where you got that blanket from so I can find Igneel!"

"How can you just turn away from these people!? They need our help!"

"Because humans are evil and I hate them!"

Lucy stood stunned at his outburst. His eyes were dangerously narrowed and the fire in his hands only grew.

"What do you mean you hate humans? Aren't you a human?" Lucy asked warily.

"I'm a dragon slayer," Natsu answered. "Technically I'm human but I like to classify myself as a dragon. There's not many left thanks to the humans though."

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing. If we're going to stay in this dumb town then let's hurry up. I just want to find Igneel already."

Lucy nodded and was about to ask about the book again before a loud grumbling sound erupted in the room. With flushed cheeks, the girl slapped her hands onto her stomach in embarrassment while Natsu and Happy peered at her curiously. Then the two snickered.

"Looks like someone is hungry!" Happy teased.

"Shut up!" Lucy screeched. "I haven't eaten in a while!"

"Yeah, well thanks to you we're fresh outta food," Natsu said. "We'll have to go get some more in town. Wait here, Happy and I will be right back."

"Wait, I want to come too! I want to see more of the town! Maybe we can find some clues as to why Shirotsume is in such a financial disaster!"

Natsu shrugged and led the way out the door while Happy and Lucy excitedly followed, the former excited about food while the latter was excited about helping the town. The trio walked briskly through the town, this time careful not to attract any unwanted attention. They didn't make eye contact with any of the people on the streets and instead walked straight towards a stand that sold baked goods.

" _I'll help them soon enough,"_ Lucy thought, feeling guilty over not being able to help anyone yet. After all, she wasn't the one paying. She couldn't force Natsu to buy the whole town food, especially since he already told her he was low on money.

So, Lucy watched as Natsu talked to the clerk, asking a rather considerable amount of questions.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing to a loaf of bread.

Lucy and the clerk raised their brows as the latter answered, "It's just bread."

"Oh, of course!" Natsu replied.

And that was when Lucy saw it: a blue paw snatching food from the stall while the clerk was too busy talking to Natsu.

" _That's why Natsu is asking those stupid questions!"_ she thought, her hands forming tight fists while her brows slanted in anger. " _I can't believe they're stealing!"_

Lucy wanted to say something, but knew she should keep her mouth shut. After all, the two were going to help her travel across the country. Besides, she would probably be deemed as an accomplice. So, the girl stayed silent, keeping her anger subdued until they were in private.

When Natsu saw that Happy had stashed their knapsack with baked goods, he grinned.

"And how much for this loaf of bread?" he asked the man, who was growing tired of the endless questions.

"Three hundred jewels," the man answered. "It is a low price for quality bread."

Natsu feigned a frown and replied, "Ahh, I can't afford it. Sorry for wasting your time!"

And with that, the dragon slayer turned around with a smirk while Lucy sighed and followed behind him. Happy opted for flying high in the sky to lessen the chances of getting caught. When the trio finally met outside of the inn, Lucy grabbed Natsu by the ear and Happy by his wing, tugging them to their room mercilessly.

After opening the door, she tossed the thieves into the room and closed the door behind her. Then, she turned around and mustered up the harshest glare she could, planting her hands on her hips.

"How could you do that!?" she sneered.

Natsu shrugged. "Do what? Get _you_ food?"

"You know damn well that wasn't all just for me! You just stole from that man!" Lucy shouted in palpable anger.

"Shh, Lucy!" Happy exclaimed. "You can't just shout that out to the world or else we'll get caught!"

"Good!" the blonde replied. "You two deserve it!"

"What's the big deal?" Natsu asked irately. "The dude had a lot of bread to spare. And it's not our fault he made it so easy to steal."

"You just stole from a poor man in a poor town. _That_ is the big deal. You know what, eat your stolen bread. I'm going to go out and find clues!"

"Aren't you hungry?" Natsu asked, holding a piece of bread out to the blonde.

Lucy's mouth watered at the bread but shook her head. "I will not eat stolen food. I would rather starve."

Natsu narrowed his eyes at her and replied, "Looks like you're gonna have to starve then."

Lucy delivered one final glare before turning on her heel and exiting the room, slamming the door on the way out. She stalked out of the inn and onto the streets of Shirotsume. The roads were made of dirt and the buildings looked close to falling apart. Everyone stared at her, probably curious about her clothes, which were much different than the people of Earthlands'.

Many begged for food or spare jewels, which was apparently the currency in Earthland, and each time Lucy frowned and turned them away, unable to offer anything. She continued to walk through town, noticing that she had to be nearing the edge because the buildings and people were not this far.

Lucy arched a brow as she noticed that there was a paved road up ahead, kept in perfect condition unlike the rest of the town.

" _Why is there only one good road?"_ Lucy wondered. Following her hunch, the girl strode towards it and began to walk along it in order to find out where it led. She was about to give up after walking ten minutes and not finding anything until a rather large building came into view.

Lucy jogged towards it, feeling like she finally found a clue. Then, she stopped in her tracks, gaping at the huge structure in front of her. It was a pristine mansion that overlooked the town and had a lawn that went for what looked like miles and trimmed hedges.

" _All of the other places in town are rundown, why is this place still so perfect?"_ Lucy wondered. " _Maybe Earthland has corrupt people just like Earth!"_ The girl's stomach growled again, causing her to groan. " _I really am hungry. Maybe eating one piece of bread isn't that bad… No! I can't! It's stolen! I should just go back and tell them about the mansion."_

Lucy turned around and began to quickly walk back, feeling creeped out near the mansion by herself. If the owner really was evil, she shouldn't go in by herself and despite how irritating Natsu could be, he was clearly strong.

When Lucy finally arrived at the inn, she threw open the door, ready to tell her partners about her findings. To her surprise, the two weren't in the room. Sighing, the blonde plopped onto the bed and grabbed her book. It was thick and full of pages.

" _How long am I going to be here?"_ Lucy wondered, feeling homesick. " _I need to go home and start writing so that I can find my parents. I can't spend too long here. Maybe Natsu was right. Maybe we should just focus on those in the book…"_

An image of the boy who begged for food flashed in her mind. He was so thin and dirty, she pitied him greatly.

" _I can't do that. No matter what, I can't turn my back on people that need my help. Mama and Papa will just have to wait."_

Suddenly, the door burst open, Natsu and Happy walking in with their sack of bread. Their eyes landed on her, nobody saying anything. Well, until Lucy caved.

"Where were you guys?" she asked, fidgeting in her spot. Sure she hadn't forgiven them, but she didn't want them to be mad at her either. That would only make the trip harder than needed.

"To get you some food," Natsu answered.

Happy walked over and handed the confused blonde the knapsack. Sitting carefully on top of the bread was a boxed vanilla cupcake with rainbow sprinkles. Lucy's mouth watered and she went to pick up the pastry before narrowing her eyes at the two. Natsu sighed, immediately understanding her unsaid words.

"It's not stolen," he assured her. "Happy and I bought it for you. Now we're really running low on money."

Lucy smiled and picked up the cupcake, devouring it quickly. "Thank you. It means a lot to me. How exactly do you make money here anyways?"

"We go on jobs!" Happy answered.

"Jobs?"

"People who need help with something post flyers and others accept for a reward," Happy elaborated.

"What kind of jobs are these?"

Natsu shrugged and answered, "Happy and I usually do the better paying jobs."

"Which are?"

"Well, usually somebody wants an object they're too scared to get on their own so Happy and I do it for them. Then they pay us a bunch of money."

Lucy gasped and glared at the boy. "So you two _steal_ the object?"

"Yep!"

"If the client is so willing to pay a lot of money for it, then why don't you keep it for yourselves? It's clearly worth a lot. And no, I'm not condoning stealing, just curious."

"Because what would I do with it? I just want to find Igneel, I don't need anything holding me back like that. All I need is money every once in a while when stealing is too risky or we need a place to sleep. That money usually lasts a long time, but now we're running low. Looks like we'll have to go on a job soon."

"We're _not_ going on a job to steal something," Lucy stated firmly. "Are there any good jobs?"

"None that pay that well," Natsu answered with a scowl.

"Well, we can do the little jobs and get money!"

"That'll take longer! Don't you wanna go home already?"

"I don't care. As long as I'm with you, you will not steal!"

Natsu crossed his arms and averted his gaze. "You're loud, Lucy. And kinda annoying."

"And you're a thief," the blonde replied. Her eyes widened as she shouted, "That reminds me! I think I found a clue!"

"A clue?" Happy repeated. "About Shirotsume?"

Lucy nodded. "Yeah! Shirotsume is dirt poor, right? So why did I find a huge mansion on the edge of town?"

"You found a mansion?" Natsu questioned.

"Yep! Where I'm from, there's a bunch of corrupt people that control most of the country's wealth. If I had to guess, I would say that whoever lives in that mansion controls the town and he's doing it terribly."

"What are we supposed to do about that?" Happy asked. "Ask him to be nice?"

"Well, is there someone the guy works for? From what I've read about these stories, the kings and queens live in castles, not mansions. That means whoever lives there isn't someone of total authority, right?"

"That's true," Natsu answered. "Fiore was split into different sections. Igneel told me that long ago, it was ran by one king, who was evil and cruel. Then King and Queen Heartfilia led a revolution and became the new rulers. Apparently to keep themselves from being too greedy and tyrannical, they split up the land and appointed rulers to certain towns."

"So there's a bunch of kings and queens then?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah. But King Heartfilia still controls all of Fiore. The kings and queens of the places they're appointed to still have to listen to him."

"That's so weird. Then again, I'm in a book of fairy tales so it isn't that weird. So you think that whoever lives in that mansion is a king?"

Natsu shook his head. "For smaller villages and towns, they aren't appointed kings and queens. They're appointed dukes and duchesses, either by King Heartfilia himself or by another king that rules the town as well as another major city."

"So somebody rules over the duke that lives in the mansion?" Lucy questioned.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure King Clive rules over Shirotsume. From what Igneel taught me, the dude is apparently a just ruler."

"That's perfect!" Lucy exclaimed. "That means that he should be able to apprehend him!"

"So you're just going to walk up to King Clive and tell him that the guy he _personally appointed_ as duke is corrupt without any proof? Sure we wanna go this route?" Natsu asked skeptically.

"Aye, we need proof!" Happy added.

"Then let's get some!" Lucy said. "We're going to bust this guy, I can feel it! But first we gotta do some research on this duke! We should ask the innkeeper!"

"We're never going to leave this place," Natsu whined.

Lucy glared at the grumpy dragon slayer. She stalked towards him and invaded his bubble of personal space to glare into his onyx eyes. "I'm Lucy Ashley, the savior! I'm going to bring back everyone's happy endings my way, including yours!"

Natsu's eyes widened as he took in the girl's appearance. Fierce determination shown in her eyes while her hands were planted on her hips once again that day. She was serious, and there was no arguing with her. Grinning, the boy nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

 **AN:** So there's some more bickering this chapter! And you found out that Natsu and Happy are thieves! :D Hope you all enjoyed! :D

 **Soul Eater Maka:** Haha yes I love Mulan. And I can assure you that Ariel will be in this story. :) But I won't tell about any more fairy tale characters! Gotta have some stuff left a surprise haha! :D

Thank you to these reviewers: **Lunahartz, An Amber Pen, Soul Eater Maka, Still-On-Hiatus, Alexa60765, Nalulove, lucydragneelft13.** You guys are amazing and make my day! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** I'm glad everyone understood how the land was split up! I was worried that I wouldn't explain it well enough but looks like I did! :D Sorry for being late! Things happen. :') Anyways, hope you all enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 6

Duke Everlue

After discussing the possibility of the duke being the reason Shirotsume was in such bad shape, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy left their room to seek some information from the innkeeper. The innkeeper was a short man with side-swept black hair and a bushy mustache. He still had some meat on his bones, but it was clear by his baggy clothing that he was losing weight fast, probably from a drastic change of diet due to insufficient funds.

His wife stood beside him at the front desk. She was taller than him with auburn hair and stormy gray eyes. Despite their unpleasant circumstances, she still wore a kind smile on her face.

"How can I help you three?" the innkeeper asked. "Are you checking out already?"

Lucy shook her head and answered, "No, we actually have some questions to ask you."

"About what? The room?"

"No, no. It's actually about this town, Shirotsume. Do you think you can give us some information about it, Deguchi-san?"

The short man's eyes widened as he glanced around cautiously, his forehead beginning to perspire. He shared a fearful look with his wife before addressing Lucy again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm afraid we can't help you with that."

Lucy frowned and asked, "Why not? It's clear that there's something wrong here. My friends and I are trying to fix it!"

"There is nothing to fix. We are fine. Now please, stop asking. It would be best if you just let it go."

"I can't let it go! A child came up to me in nothing but tattered rags! I can't turn my back on someone like that! Please, if you have any information to give we would really appreciate it."

"She is right," the older woman stated. She smiled at her husband and continued, "Look at the town, dear. We aren't going to survive much longer. People stopped coming here because it is in such a bad state. We can't keep going like this."

"But they're just kids!" the man countered. "We can't let kids go against him. That wouldn't be right!"

"Go against who?" Natsu questioned, his curiosity peaked. "The man that lives in the mansion? He's a duke, right?"

Deguchi warily nodded. "He is merciless. He will kill you and even us just for speaking ill about him. I insist you leave it alone."

"Any information on him would be helpful," Lucy replied. "We aren't kids. Natsu here is a dragon slayer and has strong magic! I'm sure he'll be able to protect us! And if not, Happy can fly us out!"

Deguchi looked towards his wife, who in turn nodded at him encouragingly. Mustering what little courage he had left, the man spoke, "The man that lives in that mansion and controls this town is Duke Everlue. He's only had power for a short time and already drove this town to its grave."

"If he's so bad, why don't you kick him out?" Happy questioned.

"Because he is powerful. Shirotsume isn't known for its mages. There aren't any that live here, not anymore. The ones that did that tried to oppose Everlue weren't strong enough and they didn't leave that mansion alive."

"T-That's terrible," Lucy said, covering her mouth with her hands. Would they end up like those mages? Sure Natsu was strong, but was he strong enough? All Happy could do was fly and it wasn't like she would be any help. She hadn't fought a day in her life.

"Don't worry," Natsu said with a smirk. "He's never been up against a dragon slayer before. I'll turn that guy into ashes!"

"Aye!" Happy cheered. "Then you guys can inform King Clive and he'll come by and help you out!"

"I'm sorry, but please don't go," Deguchi begged. "I don't want you kids to die."

"Don't worry," Lucy assured with a gentle smile. "Maybe we won't have to fight."

"Huh?" Natsu and Happy asked in unison.

"All we need is proof, right? There's no need to fight!"

"How will you get the proof then?" Deguchi asked.

Lucy smirked and replied, "I'll use my womanly charms. Back in Seattle, I used to get discounts using my womanly charms all the time!"

"A-Are you sure about this?" Deguchi's wife questioned.

"Definitely! This way nobody will get hurt! We just need to know if he has any fetishes!"

The boys in the room blanched at the statement.

"H-He has a thing for maids I think," Deguchi finally said. "He is always hiring them and whatnot. I suppose you could borrow one of our uniforms."

"That's perfect!" Lucy beamed.

* * *

Hours later, the trio were in their room while Lucy fixed her hair. The girl was already wearing the uniform, which hugged her ample chest tightly and didn't reach her knees. She split her long locks of golden hair into pigtails and smiled at her reflection.

"Are you sure about this, Lucy?" Happy asked for the tenth time.

Lucy sighed and answered, "Yes, Happy. The guy sounds like a real perv, this should work out perfectly. I'll work undercover and find clues as I go."

"How do you know he'll hire you?" Natsu asked with crossed arms.

The blonde smirked and gestured at herself. "Look at me, I'm the perfect bait!"

Natsu looked her over and repeated, "Again, how do you know he'll hire you?"

"I'm gonna kill you."

Natsu cackled along with Happy while Lucy forced herself not to throw the nearest object at them.

"I should get going now," she said, walking towards the door.

"Wait," Natsu replied, grabbing her wrist. "This is still too dangerous. It would be better if we just stormed in and surprised the bastard."

"No. You heard Deguchi-san. Everyone who tried to fight Everlue died. We need to do this without fighting. Besides, I wouldn't be any help in a fight. It would just be you against everyone."

"That makes it even better!"

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "No, Natsu. Just stay here. I'll be back before you know it! And think of it this way, it'll mean less money for you to spend on me! But you really shouldn't steal."

"Yeah, yeah. Be careful, Lucy. If something happens to you I won't be able to find Igneel," Natsu replied.

"And here I thought you were worried about me."

"As if that would happen."

Lucy giggled before waving and leaving the two to mope. The girl waved towards the innkeepers, who waved back in concern. With a big smile on her face, she skipped through town, eager to get to the mansion.

Though she wanted to get home more than anything, it still felt nice to help people, even if she was never going to see them again. All she did in Seattle was write and take orders at a crummy restaurant. Here she actually had the chance to be a hero and actually live the life of one of her characters in her story. It was dangerous but thrilling.

When Lucy finally reached the mansion, she gaped again at its size. She never understood how someone could need or even want to live in a house that big. What was the point if there was nobody to share it with? And the fact that there were so many people living on the streets when he had plenty of room to house them only angered her.

" _This man is going to pay,"_ she thought as she feigned a smile and knocked on the grand doors. The girl thought nobody was going to answer with how long it took for someone to open the door.

When someone did open it, Lucy had to crane her neck to get a view of the person's face because they were so tall. It was a maid with pink hair, though lighter than Natsu's. She was on the heavier side. Her face was not the most appealing of faces, but Lucy would never judge someone based on their looks.

"Who are you?" the woman asked.

"Hello. My name is Lucy," the blonde answered with a bow. "I was wondering if I could work for whoever greatly owns this mansion."

The woman eyed her suspiciously before replying, "The Master does not need any more maids."

"A-Are you sure? I'm sure I could be of some help! Can I at least talk to him?"

The woman eyed her some more before nodding and opening the door open for Lucy to enter. Lucy gaped at the house. It was more beautiful on the inside with marbled tile floors, pristine white pillars, paintings covering the walls and maroon curtains covering the windows. The maid led her up the stairs and towards a room. She knocked on it twice.

"Who is it?" a nasally voice sounded from inside the room.

"It is Virgo," the maid answered in her deep voice. "There is a girl here wanting to speak with you about becoming a maid."

"Let her in."

The woman, Virgo, opened the door and let Lucy inside, closing the door behind the blonde and leaving the two alone. Lucy eyed the man warily. He was short and round like a gumball. He had auburn hair, though it looked and probably was a toupee, and had hair coming from his nose to look like a mustache. He wore a nice suit with a rose tucked into the breast pocket. All in all, he looked like a disgusting man. Lucy fought the urge to cringe.

"Hello, it is nice to meet you," Lucy greeted, bowing with feigned respect.

Everlue twisted his 'mustache' and replied, "What are you doing here?"

"I would like to work for you."

The man eyed her in suspicion and questioned, "And why is that?"

Lucy frowned. She figured he would hire her on the spot. "Truthfully, I am in need of money."

The two maintained eye contact longer than Lucy would have liked but she didn't back down, not wanting to offend him. She would never get the job if she did. Finally, the man spoke again.

"I'm afraid I cannot hire you," he said, crushing Lucy's spirit. Though what really crushed her was what he said next. "I do not hire ugly girls."

A vein ticked in the blonde's forehead as she repeated, "Ugly?"

"Yep! I only hire beautiful woman! You, ma'am, are not!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Lucy screeched in anger, lunging towards the stout of a man. So much for keeping her cool.

"Virgo!" Everlue shouted.

In a golden light, the maid from before appeared and apprehended Lucy. The blonde thrashed under the other woman's hold, but it was futile. Lucy was stunned with how easily Virgo overpowered her. She knew she wasn't the strongest of girls out there, but she wasn't _that_ weak.

 _"Maybe she's using magic,"_ Lucy thought. " _Damn it! I sure could use some!"_

"Take her to the cellar," Everlue ordered.

Virgo nodded emotionlessly and exited the study, carrying Lucy with ease. The pinkette took her all the way down stairs where the entrance to the cellar was. Upon opening it, Lucy gasped at the sight below. There were piles of bodies stacked atop each other, some recently dead and others nothing more than a pile of bones. Tears crept into Lucy's eyes as she looked at the dead bodies. So many lives were lost trying to stop the villain.

And she was going to be the next.

"Let me go!" Lucy screeched, wriggling under Virgo's hold. "Put me down right now, Virgo!"

"I cannot," the maid replied. "It is my orders to put you here, so I must."

"But do you actually want to?" Lucy questioned desperately.

Virgo stood still as she contemplated the question. Nobody had ever asked her if she _wanted_ to do something before. They only ever ordered her around like a machine. Eventually she began to believe that she was just that.

"I do not," Virgo answered, followed by a heavy sigh. "But the fact remains that I must."

With that, the pinkette tossed Lucy into the cellar, where she landed on top of the pile of bodies. The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs and scurried off, rubbing her skin as if to remove the germs away.

"Please, Virgo!" Lucy cried, tears streaming down her face. "Don't do this! You are a good person, I can tell!"

The maid shook her head. "I am not. Not anymore. I was the one that threw all of those bodies into this cellar. My hands are stained with lost lives that cannot be replaced."

"Then let me out so you don't add another to that list!" Lucy reasoned. "If Everlue is threatening you-"

"You are wrong. He isn't."

"T-Then why would you do this? It's clear you don't want to!"

"I am a celestial spirit."

"Celestial spirit?" Lucy repeated in confusion. "What's that?"

Virgo raised a brow. She had never met somebody that didn't know what a celestial spirit was, simply because they always tried to control her.

"I am a spirit that has a contract with Master. He controls me," Virgo answered. "I am unable to do anything against him."

Lucy shook her head. "I refuse to believe that. Nobody should ever have direct control over another!"

"But I am a spirit. I am nothing more than a weapon or a tool."

"No! You are a person with real feelings, whether you think you are or not! My friends are going to save me and we're getting you out of here too!"

Virgo's dull blue eyes brightened a bit with hope before she shook her head. "I'm afraid your friends won't be able to defeat him and will only be thrown in here with you."

With that, the maid closed the door to the cellar, leaving Lucy to scream for help. Though her cries were going to go unheard for a while.

* * *

 **AN:** A bit of a short chapter but things are happening now in Shirotsume! :D I realized after editing this that things might be moving a little fast for this arc but I can't change it now so sorry! Hope you all enjoyed anyways! :D

 **Lucydragneetft13:** I don't know how long exactly the story will be, but I'm thinking it'll be all the way in the 80's! :D I already have 40 written and it's not even halfway done! :)

Thanks to all of the reviewers: **lucydragneelft13, Lunahartz, Alexa60765, Nalulove, IndianaCombs, Soul Eater Maka.** You guys are always amazing and always make my day. :')


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D Have you guys seen the anime Relife? I really like it! You should watch it if you haven't. :)

* * *

Chapter 7

Celestial Spirits

The next morning, Natsu woke up anxiously as he searched his room. His newest partner still had yet to return and it worried him. He didn't exactly care for Lucy herself, but she was his only hope of finding Igneel. If something were to happen to her, he would be stuck again.

After eating a decent amount of the bread they stole the prior day, Natsu and Happy sat in their room, utterly bored. Usually they had something to do since they were always travelling. There was always something to talk about. But now that they could only wait for Lucy to return, they found that they had absolutely nothing to do.

"What do you think of Lucy?" Happy finally asked. He wasn't used to sitting in complete silence and needed to say something before he died of boredom.

Natsu shrugged and answered, "I don't know her. As far as I'm concerned, she's just here to help us find Igneel."

Happy frowned. "Well what do you think of her as a person?"

"She's loud and annoying. You heard her yesterday, nagging us about stealing food. She's naïve."

"I think she's nice. It's fun annoying her."

Natsu chuckled and replied, "You're right about that. Still, try not to get attached, buddy."

Happy frowned and asked, "Why not?"

"Because she isn't going to be with us for long. She's only here to grant everyone their happy endings. After that, she's going back to America where she belongs."

"B-But she doesn't have to," Happy suggested, averting his gaze.

Natsu sighed and said, "Yes she does. She probably has a family and friends waiting for her. Why do you want her to stay with us anyways?"

"Like I said, I think she's nice. We haven't had other company in a long time."

"That's because we don't need other company. We have each other."

Happy sighed but nodded. "That's true."

Natsu knew Happy still wasn't fully convinced but smiled at his friend anyways. The two sat in an awkward silence once again until finally Happy spoke.

"I'm still worried about her," he stated.

"Me too," Natsu replied. "You know, the two of us are the ones guiding her."

"Yeah, and?"

"Without us, Lucy won't be able to find her way around. She needs us."

"Are you saying we should leave her?"

"No! What I'm saying, is that even though Lucy told us to stay here, what's stopping us from going anyways?" Natsu asked with a smirk. "She told us to stop stealing but we still do. You and I run the show, Happy. And even if we don't listen to her, she won't be able to do anything anyways because she needs us!"

Happy grinned. "Are you saying we barge into the mansion and fight Everlue like we wanted?"

"Yep! We gave Lucy's plan enough time, it's time to start ours!"

"What are we going to do? Sneak in?"

Natsu scoffed. "There's no need to do that. You and I will barge in like we always do!"

"Aye!"

* * *

Lucy groaned as she woke up that morning. Her eyes fluttered open slowly to reveal that she was in a dark room with barely any light seeping in. Then she remembered. Virgo trapped her in the cellar.

" _Which means there are dead bodies around me,"_ Lucy thought, shivering at the thought. Tears pricked the girl's eyes as she thought about how many people died where she was. _"I was too late to save all of them. What kind of savior am I?"_ Lucy shook her head. " _No, I can't be negative right now. That's not going to help me find a way out."_

Lucy stood, her legs wobbling beneath her. Luckily the cellar was just big enough to allow the girl to stand up straight. She stretched and popped her body. The hard floor definitely wasn't a good place to sleep.

A loud grumble sounded in the cellar. She was hungry.

" _I didn't eat dinner. That must be how he plans on killing me. Starving me to death."_

Not being able to see well in the dark room, Lucy tiptoed carefully, slowly inching forward so as to not step on one of the deceased. When she finally reached the door, she pounded on it with all her might and shouted at the top of her lungs, ordering her captor to release her. As expected, the girl was ignored and the door wasn't going to budge. She was stuck.

" _I should've listened to Natsu,"_ Lucy thought, the tears she had been trying to hold in finally slipping out. " _I don't know why I didn't. I must've gotten cocky with the whole savior thing. It's not like I can do anything. I can't breathe fire or fly like them, I'm useless! Now I'll never find my parents…"_

Lucy slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands. During her life, the girl had done nothing but isolate herself in her apartment, never going on any adventures or making any friends. And now that she was finally doing that, she was going to die.

"Master told me to order you to stop crying," a sudden voice, Virgo's, rang out.

Lucy sniffled and replied, "I can't help it. I'm going to die alone. Deep down I always knew I would. I always knew that I wouldn't find my parents and would waste my life away. I just never knew it would be so soon. Or so dark."

Virgo frowned. "You should not have come here. You should have stayed with your friends. Master is too strong."

"I know that now. I guess I just wanted to be useful for once… I wanted to help people, to save the town. But I guess I really wanted to prove to myself I could do something… Turns out I was wrong. I don't have strength like Natsu. I don't have magic to help me, I'm useless!"

Virgo's frown deepened. She knew what she saw when she first opened the door and found Lucy. She saw a mixture of golden and silver keys latched onto her belt loop. And from what she could sense, Lucy was a celestial spirit mage.

Deeming herself as not disobeying her Master, Virgo hesitantly told Lucy, "You have magic. Rare magic. You just need to find it."

Lucy's eyes widened as she brought her face from her hands. "I-I have magic?"

"Yes."

"W-Well what is it? Fire? Ice? Tell me!"

"I'm afraid I cannot," Virgo stated. "I already told you too much. You are just lucky Master didn't notice it yesterday. Find your magic and use it to get out of here."

Lucy heard the sound of clicking heels, signaling Virgo's exit.

Before the maid could leave, Lucy replied, "I forgive you, Virgo. I know that you are just following your orders. I know that you didn't want to do this to me. So I forgive you, even if I don't make it out of here alive."

Lucy swore she heard a faint sniffle before Virgo finally left, leaving her alone once again. The blonde sat still, pondering the maid's words. She had magic. She just had to find it and figure out how to use it to get out of there.

"Maybe I breathe fire like Natsu," Lucy mused aloud. She opened her mouth and let out a puff of air, but sadly no fire came out. "Alright, that was a bust. Maybe I can fly like Happy!" Flexing her back and focusing on the spot, she realized that couldn't be it either since no wings showed up. Then she focused on her hands, willing anything to materialize whether it be fire, ice, or even water.

"This is useless!" Lucy cried. "I can't use magic. Virgo must have been wrong. If I did, I'm sure I would have figured it out already! I would be able to _feel_ something!"

Just when she was losing the last of her hope, the girl heard maids screaming as a loud explosion erupted. Even Lucy let out a squeal of her own as the floor vibrated beneath her. What was happening outside of the cellar?

The blonde's eyes widened in realization. " _Could it be Natsu and Happy? Are they here to save me?"_

Hope sprouted in the girl's stomach as a grin stretched over her lips. Her eyes shone with determination as she stood once again, focusing on her body.

" _I can't give up,"_ she thought, closing her eyes to concentrate. " _Not when Natsu and Happy are here to rescue me. I can't just sit here for them to save me, I have to save myself!"_

Lucy continued to concentrate, willing for anything to happen. She didn't care what kind of magic she had. It could be the lamest, most un-cool magic in the world as long as it helped her friends. She refused to be useless any longer. She was going to fight and restore everyone's happy endings.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the room as Lucy felt something warm against her hip.

" _What, do I have magical kicking powers?"_ she wondered as she glanced down. To her upmost surprise, the keys that she had since she was a baby, the only thing she had of her parents besides her blanket, were glowing. " _My keys? Are they magical or something?"_

Lucy frantically removed the keyring from her belt loop and stared curiously at them. They were still glowing, almost as if asking to be touched. Hesitantly, the girl unhooked one of the keys. It was hot in her hand but didn't hurt, like Natsu's fire. It was golden and had the symbol of the zodiac sign, Taurus.

Suddenly, Lucy's mouth moved on its own and she found herself mumbling something akin to an enchantment of some sort. It was like her body knew what to do even if her brain didn't. Her stomach did a flip and she felt herself being drained of energy. It reminded her of the day she first appeared in Earthland, when she somehow opened a portal.

"Open," Lucy began, not knowing why, "Gate of the bull, Taurus!"

* * *

Natsu and Happy snickered at the sight of maids running around frantically, screaming in fear of them. All they did was burn a hole through the wall, it wasn't like they were murderers or anything. Not like the man they were working for.

"Do you see Lucy?" Natsu asked, searching for a golden head among the maids.

Happy shook his head and answered, "No, maybe she's not in this part of the mansion."

"That is correct," an unfamiliar voice said.

Natsu and Happy turned to find a stubby man with a terrible haircut and an even worse mustache, if it could even be called that since it was made from his nose hairs. The two immediately burst into a fit of laughter, hunching over and clenching their stomachs as they cackled, tears filling their eyes.

"W-What is so funny!?" the man questioned, glaring at the two.

"Y-Your mustache," Happy began, unable to finish his sentence as he laughed again.

"It's made of your nose hairs!" Natsu finished, his laughter growing even louder.

The man grew red in the face as he glowered at the two cackling in front of him. He grew tired of them quickly and pulled out a golden key with the zodiac symbol, Virgo. With a simple swish of his hand, Virgo appeared, looming over the two threateningly.

"Take care of these two for me," he ordered. "Don't throw them in the cellar with the girl. They deserve an even more painful death!" Everlue then stalked away, apparently not deeming Natsu and Happy a threat.

"Yes, Master," Virgo replied solemnly.

Natsu and Happy finally sobered up at the thought of a fight and now knowing where Lucy was.

"Looks like her plan didn't work," Natsu said, lighting his fists with flames.

"Aye," Happy replied worriedly as he studied Virgo. She was definitely much bigger than the two of them and he could sense magic rolling off of her.

"I can handle her," the dragon slayer stated. "You go find Lucy. I have a feeling that mustache bastard went to go pay her a visit."

"Aye! Be careful!"

"Careful is my middle name!"

* * *

Below in the cellar, Lucy fell to her knees, suddenly feeling completely exhausted after finishing her chant, whatever it was. The girl forced her eyes open to see what kind of magic she used to find a toned set of _white_ abs in front of her. With newfound energy, the blonde squealed and pushed whoever it was with her away.

"Mooo! I like them feisty!" the man exclaimed.

Lucy opened her eyes to study the man in front of her and completely blanched. Standing in front of her was none other than a cow with abs. What kind of cow had abs? Not to mention the fact that he could talk. Or that he was wearing a speedo and a choker with a bell on it.

"W-Who are you?" Lucy questioned warily.

The bull grinned and answered, "I'm Taurus! You summoned me!"

The blonde's eyes widened. "Summoned? What do you mean?"

"That key in your hand. You used it to summon me from the Celestial Spirit World. I've been waiting years for you to summon me!"

"W-What? You mean you've always existed?"

"Mooost certainly!"

"But you come from the Celestial Spirit World? Wait, does that make you a celestial spirit?"

Taurus' grin grew wider as he nodded. "Yep!" To his surprise, Lucy's bottom lip began to quiver as tears welled in her brown eyes. "W-What is the matter!? I am weak against a woman's tears!"

"I-I'm sorry," Lucy replied. "I'm just like Everlue then! I don't want to use other people as weapons or tools!"

"But that is what we are," Taurus informed her. "We are spirits that form contracts with humans to protect them and fight for them. That is how we work!"

The blonde shook her head. "No! I refuse to have people fight for me! I would rather they fight _with_ me!"

Taurus' eyes widened. He certainly got lucky he was paired with a nice master once again. He knew a few spirits that weren't so lucky.

"That sounds wonderful!" the spirit exclaimed. "I will fight with you then, Lucy!"

"How do you know my name?" the said girl questioned.

"I have been watching over you all this time. We all have."

Lucy glanced at her keys. "You mean they are all spirits?"

"Yes. We will talk moooore about this and make a contract later. For now, let's get out of this cellar!"

Lucy watched in amazement as Taurus retrieved an ax from the strap on his back and held it with ease. The blonde could tell just by its sheer size that the weapon had to be heavy, there was no way she would be able to wield it. The bull walked over to the door, respectfully avoiding any bodies, and gave a battle cry while swinging the ax on the door, causing it to break into pieces.

Lucy gasped at the sight of life, a smile gracing her face. She smiled at her newest friend while he helped her out of the cellar.

"Thank you, Taurus!" she exclaimed. "I thought I was going to die in there!"

The bull smiled and then hearts grew in his eyes. "You can thank me by letting me touch that absolutely moooving body of yours!"

And with that, half of Lucy's respect for the spirit vanished as she glared at the perverted cow.

"Touch me and I will turn you into beef stew," the blonde threatened.

Taurus was about to tease her until his face grew serious and he turned to face Everlue, who watched them with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. Lucy immediately readied her fists for combat. She knew she wasn't strong but there was no way she was going to let Taurus fight alone for her.

"You…" Everlue began, "You are a celestial spirit wizard."

"Apparently I am," Lucy replied, her glare never wavering.

"A celestial spirit mage holding the key of Taurus," Everlue continued, still looking as though he'd seen a ghost, "and golden hair… You…"

The blonde scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm the savior."

The man shook his head. "No, not that. You're her. The lost-"

"Lucy!" a sudden voice called out as a blue object reeled itself into Everlue's side, knocking him to the floor.

"Happy!" Lucy cried out, overjoyed to see her companion. "You guys really did come to save me!"

The cat grinned. "Of course! Natsu is fighting someone right now! I think her name is Virgo! You should run and get out of here-! Lucy, who is that?"

Lucy followed his pointing paw and found he was asking about Taurus. "His name is Taurus. Apparently I have magic. He's my friend, he's here to help!"

Happy cocked his head to the side in confusion but shrugged. "Let's hurry back to Natsu!"

Lucy nodded and the three ran as fast as they could, only to be stopped by Everlue popping out of the floor like a daisy. He glared at the three of them.

"Did you think you could stop me that easily?" he asked.

"How did he do that?" Lucy asked Taurus.

"It seems he uses earth magic," the bull answered.

"Indeed I do," Everlue said. "And I'm going to use it to kill all of you. Or at least the girl and the cat. I will be taking those keys of yours for myself. After all, what good are they to somebody that didn't even know what they were?"

"At least I would treat them a hell of a lot better than you!" Lucy shouted. "You just boss Virgo around and make her do horrible things she doesn't want to!"

"They are spirits, that's what they are for. They're nothing but our weapons."

"You're wrong! Celestial spirits have feelings, they're not just tools and I refuse to hand my keys over to the likes of you!"

A wicked grin appeared on Everlue's face.

"Oh dear. You don't have a choice."

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like Lucy finally discovered her magic! And she was so close to figuring out the truth before Happy came. :') Hope you enjoyed! :D

Thank you to these wonderful and amazing reviewers: **Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, IndianaCombs, Lunahartz.** :'D


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Hello everyone! Hope you're all enjoying your days. :) And if not, hopefully this chapter brightens it up a bit. :)

* * *

Chapter 8

The Fight in Everlue Mansion

Natsu groaned as he picked himself up from the rubble of the wall he was knocked into by Virgo. He had to admit, he underestimated the large maid. He figured due to her size she would be slow and have terrible reflexes, but the fellow pinkette was nothing of the sort. She was fast, flexible, and nimble.

Still, Natsu grinned as he dusted himself off. The boy hadn't had a good fight in a long time. Though, he could tell Virgo wasn't using her full strength. She was reluctant to fight him. And if he was being honest with himself, it made him hold back as well.

"Why aren't you fighting with all you've got?" Natsu questioned.

Virgo's frown deepened. "I am tired of hurting others, but I must listen to my master. I am conflicted."

"Is your master that plump guy from before?" Natsu asked. Virgo nodded. "Hate to break it to ya, but that guy doesn't care about you at all."

"I am well aware of this. But it doesn't change anything. I am still contracted to him."

"Why not just get a new job?"

Virgo shook her head. "You misunderstand me. I am not human. I am a celestial spirit."

"What's that?" Natsu inquired.

"How are you and your friend unfamiliar with this? It is a type of magic. The former queen used this magic."

The dragon slayer shrugged and stated, "I only know what I've experienced or what Igneel taught me. I've never met a celestial spirit and he's never told me about them."

"Well, we are bounded to our masters by contracts. We have to obey them. We have no choice."

Natsu frowned and brought flames to his fists again. "Sorry to hear that. But you have Lucy, and I need her for now. If you aren't going to back down, I'm gonna have to defeat you."

Virgo nodded. "I expected nothing else."

Natsu leapt towards Virgo and continued to throw punches and kicks, which the maid only dodged. He was growing frustrated and decided to speed up his attacks, which resulted in a flaming kick to the woman's gut. Virgo coughed for air and stumbled backwards, giving Natsu an opening, which he wasn't going to pass up.

Natsu lunged for the maid, ready to deliver a bone-breaking attack, only for Virgo to _drill_ into to floor using nothing but her legs. The dragon slayer stood still and sniffed her out. She was moving fast underground, but with his sense of smell he was able to keep track of her.

Virgo drilled underneath Natsu and reached for his leg, but the boy jumped high into the air to avoid her grasp. He then released a large breath of fire, scorching the maid. But she wasn't finished. The burns only seemed to wake her up, causing her to move even faster. She went back into the hole, but this time Natsu wasn't fast enough to dodge.

Virgo's hand shot up from the ground and grabbed Natsu's ankle, dragging him underneath with the maid while she drilled through the ground. Dirt scraped his body while an occasional rock would hit his head. The air in his lungs was beginning to disappear. He needed to get out of there.

Natsu lit his entire body on fire, causing Virgo to snatch her hand back from the searing pain. The boy then burst out of the ground, though not as gracefully as the maid, who did it as if she was swimming in water. He hacked up dirt and shook clumps of it out of his hair.

"That was good," Natsu praised. "But I won't let you do that again."

"I don't believe you have a choice," Virgo replied.

* * *

Lucy was on her toes, waiting for Everlue to make his attack. To her surprise, the man dived into the floor and appeared in front of her. A squeal escaped the girl's throat as he reached for her keys. Luckily Taurus jumped in between them and thrust his ax at the man, who dodged it by a hair.

"Thank you, Taurus!" Lucy exclaimed. "I should've expected that!"

"Don't let him take your keys," the bull advised. "You haven't made contracts with us yet, meaning that there is nothing stopping us from becoming his spirits other than the fact that you hold our keys."

"I'll make sure he doesn't get them!"

Taurus grinned before lunging at Everlue, swinging his ax around with ease. Unfortunately, Everlue was faster than he appeared and dodged every attack swiftly. Lucy and Happy watched worriedly on the sidelines, the former ashamed for not being more helpful.

" _Wait a second!"_ she thought, a smile forming on her face. " _I can just use magic! I'll summon another spirit!"_

Lucy reached for her keys while Taurus kept Everlue distracted. She grabbed the first key she could, Aquarius. Holding it out in front of her, the girl shouted, "Open, gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!" Lucy stood still, waiting for someone to appear, but nobody showed up. "Huh?"

She tried it again and again, but still nothing happened.

"Aquarius is a bit different than the rest of us," Taurus informed her while he continued to fend Everlue off. "You can only summon her using water. But don't try to summon anyone else! Though your body is udderly wonderful, it can't handle another spirit! Not yet at least!"

"What am I supposed to do then?" Lucy asked desperately. "I told you I don't want you to fight for me, I want to fight with you!"

Taurus smiled and replied, "You are! Our strength comes from your strength. You already lose magic summoning us, that's enough!"

"It isn't! Not when you are the one getting hurt while I just watch!"

"It is an honor to serve you, Miss Lucy! If you are kind, we don't mind fighting for you. It gives us a purpose! If you truly want to fight with us, wait until you find your own way. There is no need to harm yourself over this. I will handle this guy!"

"He's right!" Happy stated. "I don't know anything about the magic you're using, but I'm sure it takes a lot of power just to summon one spirit. You're new to magic, you have to take it slow!"

Lucy reluctantly nodded and continued to watch the two fight, hoping that one day she would be able to find her own strength. But for now, she could only listen to them and watch.

* * *

On the other side of the mansion, Natsu and Virgo continued to battle heavy blows towards one another. Natsu could tell Virgo was tiring and that soon enough he would win, but he didn't want to hurt the spirit any more than she already was. He may have been a thief, but he wasn't cruel. He didn't want to fight somebody that had no choice. It took the fun out of it.

"You should just stop," Natsu stated, pausing his attacks.

Virgo shook her head. "I told you I can't. My master's orders are absolute."

"Well disobey this one time."

"I can't. I must fight. Do not show me any mercy. It is my fault so many people have died and it is my fault your friend will too. In order to save her, you cannot show any mercy."

Natsu reluctantly nodded and clashed with the maid once again. He wanted to save his magic for his fight against Everlue, but since Lucy didn't have any way to fight back, he needed to end his battle with Virgo quickly.

Fire engulfed his entire body as he propelled himself high into the air and towards Virgo with great speed. The spirit's eyes widened at the ferocious attack, knowing that she needed to dodge. She began to drill into the floor but it was too late.

"FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN!" Natsu shouted as his head crashed into Virgo's, engulfing her in flames.

When the boy stood up from the attack and let his flames die down, he felt his magical power decrease heavily as his body swayed side to side. He glanced down to check on Virgo and found that her body wasn't there. Even if he went overboard there would have been ashes. There was nothing but dirt. Natsu shrugged it off before running to find Lucy and Happy.

* * *

Everlue sighed as he felt Virgo's key warm in his pocket.

"Looks like your friend defeated Virgo," he said with a scowl. "What a useless spirit."

"Virgo is a great spirit!" Taurus argued, swinging his ax. "You're just a terrible master!"

Everlue ignored him and dived into the floor and appeared behind the bull, kicking his back before he could turn around. Taurus coughed, feeling the wind knocked out of him but recovered quickly. He grabbed Everlue's wrist and threw him into the far wall, creating a crater.

Everlue glowered at the bull as he dusted himself off. He was a duke, he was supposed to be respected! Yet here was some cow throwing him into his own wall. How absurd. However, that wasn't even the worst part of it all. Of all people in the world to find him, the lost princess, Lucy Heartfilia, had to be it. If she was to report to the King, he would surely have his head. No, he couldn't allow that.

"I'm afraid I have to end this now," the man stated. He then pointed at Lucy and continued, "I cannot let you leave here alive. Earth Bounce!"

Lucy's eyes widened as Everlue began to rotate and spin around the mansion. His body ricocheted off the walls and floor until he was right beside Taurus, kicking him straight in the gut. The bull let out a gruff _moo_ as he crashed into the wall.

Everlue didn't stop there. He continued to catch Taurus off guard with his random patterns. Taurus was not a fast spirit either. He had incredible strength, which ended up slowing him down. He could do nothing but endure each and every single hit.

Lucy covered her mouth with her hands as tears flooded her eyes at the sight of her newest friend being beaten to a pulp all because of her. With one last kick to the face, Taurus was disappearing in a glittery light.

"No!" the blonde cried. "Taurus! I-Is he dead!?"

Everlue scoffed and answered, "Of course not. Spirits don't die for the most part. He's just back in his key, unable to be summoned again until he heals. That is no matter to you though. Now be quiet and let me kill you the easy way."

Lucy fell to her knees in fear as the man stalked over to her. She was helpless. The man not only had celestial spirit magic, but also had earth magic. She only had one type of magic and couldn't even use it anymore. She couldn't even run at that point. Instead, she closed her eyes, waiting for her death which was sure to come.

Happy flew towards Everlue in order to stop him, only to be swatted away like a fly. The man approached Lucy like he was going to rid his house of vermin. When he stood in front of the girl, looming over her, he raised one foot in the air.

"Such a shame you have to die without knowing anything," Everlue stated with a sadistic grin as he kicked with all of his might.

Lucy's eyes squinted shut even tighter as she knew what was coming. The girl refused to yell in fear, which would only satisfy him. So, she kept silent, awaiting her death. However, after a few seconds, the blonde realized she hadn't been kicked yet.

Warily, she opened her eyes and found Natsu blocking Everlue's strong kick with only his bare hand.

"N-Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed while jumping to her feet, happy to see her grouchy dragon slayer friend.

"Sorry I'm late!" the boy replied as flames licked his hand and ran up Everlue's leg.

The older man yelped and snatched his leg back and ran through the mansion, causing the fire to grow.

Natsu cackled and shouted, "Don't you know that oxygen makes fires grow? Meaning that all your running is just making it worse!"

Everlue gasped and dropped to the floor, rolling around while crying in pain. Not wasting any time, Natsu ran over and sent a flaming kick into the man's gut, sending him spiraling down the mansion. Everlue got up and panted, his eyes gleaming with anger.

"Earth Bounce!" he cried, once again ricocheting off the walls.

Natsu smirked and shouted, "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

The fire lashed around, completely engulfing Everlue's body, scarring his oily skin. When the flames died down, the corrupt duke was knocked out, his toupee burned to ashes along with his mustache.

Lucy smiled widely at the sight and let herself collapse on the floor. After using magic, which the girl didn't even know she had before, her body was done for the day.

Natsu walked over to Everlue's charred body and plucked a golden key out of his pocket.

"Virgo deserves a stronger master," he said, putting it in his own pocket. Then he surveyed the room. "Sheesh, Luce. What did you do here?"

The blonde smiled and answered, "Turns out I have magic."

"Really?" Natsu questioned, his brows shooting up. Then a mischievous grin appeared on his face as he asked, "Strong enough to battle?"

"No way! I am still figuring out how to use it!"

"So what kinda magic do you use?"

"I'm apparently a celestial wizard. I don't completely understand what that means, but I apparently make contracts with spirits and fight with them."

Natsu picked Happy off of the floor and showed the blonde Virgo's key. "You mean like Virgo?"

Lucy's eyes widened as she recalled, "I forgot she told me she was a celestial spirit! I didn't know what that meant before!"

"Think she wants to make a contract with you?"

"I don't know, but let's take her just in case. We can't let Everlue keep her. If she doesn't want to make a contract with me, I'll take her wherever she wants to go!"

Natsu's brows furrowed as he helped the blonde up and carried her on his back. "We can't keep stalling, Lucy. We have to give everyone their happy endings."

"Like this town, the spirits deserve happy endings and I'm going to give that to them!"

"You're stubborn!"

"And you're a grouch!"

The two continued to bicker as they left the mansion, their fears and worries left behind as they finally defeated Everlue. Though it wasn't a story in the book, it was the first happy ending they granted.

* * *

 **AN:** The Shirotsume arc is finally finished! AGH THE MULAN ARC IS NEXT! I absolutely love Mulan, it has been my favorite Disney movie since I was a little girl haha. Who do you think from the Fairy Tail world is Mulan in this story? ;D I'll give you a useless hint: they're cool. I'm pretty sure you find out chapter 10 who it is, but it might be the next chapter! Haha I am interested to know your guesses! :D

Thank you to these reviewers: **peacerockgirl123, Lunahartz, Hsdst, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Alexa60765, IndianaCombs, gresah.** And everyone that followed/favorited. :) You're all amazing! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** I liked seeing everyone's guesses haha! I think that's why this story is one of my favorites to write! :D

* * *

Chapter 9

Meeting King Clive

After the shenanigans at the Everlue mansion, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walked through the town of Shirotsume with lighter hearts. A few days ago, none of them knew that they would be on such a journey, helping strangers they didn't know. One of them was a loner that never interacted with others while the other two were mere thieves. Still, as unexpected as it was, it was still an interesting journey to say the least.

The innkeepers' eyes lit up at the sight of the trio entering the inn.

"Y-You three made it!" Deguchi exclaimed. "What happened!? Tell us everything!"

So, the three explained Lucy's abduction and how they all fought against Everlue and won. The couple's eyes lit up in horror, sadness, and eventually happiness by the end of the story.

"So what now?" Lucy questioned. "We beat Everlue, but people are still starving."

"We need to contact King Clive," Deguchi answered. "My wife and I will handle that. You three have done enough already for this town. Please, stay here as long as you need."

"Can't," Natsu stated, crossing his arms behind his head. "We have a long journey to go. It's better if we head out as soon as possible."

"Well we should stay to talk to the King," Lucy replied. "I'm sure he would like to hear from us what exactly happened. And I've never spoken to someone of royalty before!"

Natsu groaned but said, "Fine. But after that we're leaving! No more interruptions!"

Deguchi chuckled. "Why don't you three rest in your room for now? After your fighting, I'm sure you could use some rest. We'll alert you when the King is here."

"That would be nice," Lucy replied, smiling at the older man.

The three trudged up the stairs and towards their room. Upon entrance, they immediately slumped on the bed, their bodies still not fully recovered from their battles. None of them had severe injuries, though Natsu was a bit scraped up. Lucy and Happy only had a couple of bruises. Still, their bodies felt too tired to move.

"So what's the first story again?" Natsu asked, his voice muffled considering his face was buried in the blanket.

"Mulan," Lucy reminded the pinkette.

"Oh right, the one that took her father's place in the war," Happy added. "How are we supposed to find her in Fiore?"

Lucy blinked once, then twice as realization struck her. Fiore was a country. She had no idea how big it was, but surely it was big enough to make finding one person nearly impossible. At least on Earth there was social media to help.

"I have no idea," the blonde finally answered, followed by a heavy sigh. "I never even thought about that. I figured the book would lead the way but I don't think it can. How am I supposed to give all these people their happy endings if the book doesn't even tell me where they are? I just want to go home already!"

"How many stories are in that book anyways?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy sat up and trifled through the book. "Ten. Well, nine."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I first saw this book, I saw that the first story was ripped out."

"Which one?" Happy asked.

"Rapunzel," the blonde answered.

"What is that story about?"

"Some princess is locked up in a tower and she has to let down her long golden hair to let her prince climb up and save her."

"Sounds lame," Natsu stated.

"I guess. The original story wasn't that interesting but the movie was."

"What's a movie?"

"I'll explain that some other time. Anyways, I don't know how we are supposed to help Rapunzel when we don't know anything about her story here since it isn't in the book. I don't even know how to help Mulan either. Looks like I'm just stuck here forever with a bunch of cursed fairytale characters."

Natsu sat up and nudged the distraught blonde beside him.

"You can't give up now," he urged with a grin. "Look at what you did for this town! You're already chipping away at the curse! You can do this! You _need_ to do this so that I can find Igneel!"

"But how am I supposed to do that?" Lucy asked, standing from the bed and pacing around the room. "I never asked for this responsibility! Now I have all this pressure to save everyone! I don't _want_ it! I already have a mission back home, I can't deal with this one! Especially if this damned book doesn't tell me where to find them!"

Natsu stood from the bed and placed his hands on the frantic girl's shoulders. "Well let's see what the book does say about Mulan. Happy, read us the story!"

"Aye!" the exceed replied as he picked up the thick book and flipped to the first remaining story. "Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Mulan, living unhappily with her grandfather."

"Grandfather?" Lucy repeated. "It's supposed to be her parents!"

"Well looks like your world got some of the details wrong," Natsu replied. "Continue, Happy."

The cat nodded his head and went on, "Mulan was a beautiful woman with long, ebony hair and a body perfect for attracting male suitors. Her grandfather was kind and loved Mulan very much, but did not see the sadness deep within her eyes. In their small village, life was simple. Women were to be elegant and poised, respecting men and their elders. They were to meet a match maker and marry someone in order to bring their family honor."

"That is how she's supposed to bring honor to her family?" Natsu questioned with a displeased face. "That has to suck."

Happy nodded and continued, "But Mulan didn't want any of this. And even if she did, she couldn't attain it. Mulan respected her elders and those around her, but she was never one to bow to a man simply because he asked her to. She didn't want to marry a suitor and she constantly argued with her match maker to the point she was no longer allowed to return. Mulan wanted more in life."

"Good for her!" Natsu stated. He didn't want to admit it, but the story was pretty intriguing and he found himself wondering if _he_ was in the book too.

"Aye!" Happy exclaimed. "One day, a man riding on horseback stormed into the village, drafting the men into the war. Mulan's grandfather was drafted, despite the fact that he already served in the previous war and was left crippled from it. Mulan argued with the man and was branded a dishonor to her family because of it. Her grandfather scolded her but it did nothing to steer the girl's resolve. During the middle of the night, Mulan raided her grandfather's closet and stole his armor and sword. She cut her hair to her shoulders and tied it into a bun over her head to prevent anyone from knowing she was a girl."

"This Mulan girl sounds like a badass!" Natsu exclaimed.

"She definitely was the strongest Disney princess," Lucy replied. "Well, she wasn't technically a princess, but we still think of her as one. She's actually underrepresented back in my world."

"What!? How!?"

The blonde shrugged and answered, "I don't know. When I get back home I'll make sure to ask people."

"Good!"

"That was sarcasm, idiot."

"Stop interrupting me!" Happy whined. "Anyways… Mulan learned quickly how to fight and proved herself to be a better warrior than those around her. She even began falling in love with her captain, who was a strict man that followed every rule. However, one day she was injured and after being worked on by the medics, her secret was revealed. The man she fell in love with stabbed her with her own sword, leaving her to bleed out and die."

"W-What!?" Lucy screeched. "This isn't how the story is supposed to end! She's supposed to save the day and turn out a hero! She even marries the guy, he doesn't kill her!"

"Looks like we need to find Mulan fast," Natsu replied.

"How do you know she isn't already dead!?"

"There's no way the book would teleport you here if they were already dead! You have to have faith, Lucy! We're going to save Mulan!"

"A-Aye," Happy added, though he was just as worried as Lucy.

The three sat in silence, pondering what Mulan could have been up to at the moment. They could only hope she was still alive.

Suddenly, there was a light tap at the door. Lucy opened it to reveal Deguchi, smiling excitedly at her.

"The King is here!" he exclaimed. "Hurry downstairs! He is waiting!"

"He's here already?" Lucy asked. "Let's go, guys! The sooner we straighten things out with the King the sooner we can go find Mulan!"

The trio followed Deguchi down the stairs towards the lobby where the King was waiting. Lucy's heart hammered in her chest. She was going to meet royalty. The girl couldn't even picture herself meeting the president, but she was going to meet a king! Not to mention the princesses she was going to save along the way.

When they reached the lobby, they found two people sitting patiently. One was a man with orange hair that was unkempt and tanned skin. He wore simple clothing and a black cape. Though he was sitting, it was easy to tell the man was tall and had bulky muscles.

In the chair next to the man, presumably the King, was a girl around their age with gorgeous waves of brunette hair. She was adorned in a blue bikini and maroon capris. She also had black cuffs on her upper arms and was holding a flask in her hand, which she constantly took swigs from.

"It is an honor to be in your presence," Deguchi stated, bowing in front of the two.

The trio bowed as well, after Lucy kicked Natsu in the shin because he was too stubborn.

The King chuckled, noticing the exchange between the two. "Let's drop the formalities, alright? I'm not King of Fiore or anything."

"These are the three that defeated Everlue," Deguchi said, gesturing towards the trio.

Lucy blushed under the King's gaze as he stared at her with wide eyes and eyed her up and down. In the blink of an eye, the man was standing in front of Lucy, holding her hand in his while he admired her with hearts in his eyes.

"Wow, get a look of this one!" he exclaimed.

"H-Hello," Lucy stammered. She wanted to back away or even slap the King but figured she would be punished for it.

"Why don't you say you come home with us, huh? Surely I can give you a good time!"

"Umm, no thank you! I actually have a journey to go on!"

"Well then why don't I accompany you?"

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly burden the King like that!"

"No bother at all! Why don't we-"

Suddenly, a flaming fist collided with the King's face, sending him spiraling into the opposite wall. The man groaned as he stood up and cracked his neck, glowering at Natsu.

"You dare punch the King, brat?" he asked.

Natsu shrugged. "You're the one that said let's drop the formalities. Now leave Lucy alone, you pervert."

The King was about to retort when the brunette burst out laughing.

"Cana, you are supposed to take your father's side!" the King whined.

The girl, Cana, wiped tears of mirth from her eyes and replied, "Not when my father is being a total ass hitting on some girl my age. You're lucky he hit you before I did."

"But Cana-"

"No buts," the brunette interrupted. "Just stay focused, would you?"

"Fine," the man mumbled. "My name is Gildarts Clive. I rule over Shirotsume and the land to the west. I am the one that appointed Everlue as duke. I didn't see the evil within Everlue when I appointed him. I should've visited to check up on how he was doing. I was careless."

"We all make mistakes," Lucy replied with a gentle smile.

Gildarts nodded appreciatively and questioned, "Could you give me the details on what happened?"

And for the second time that day, the trio recounted their battles in the horrid mansion and made sure not to leave out the information about the body-filled cellar.

Gildarts sighed and shook his head. "So many mages killed because of a mistake I made."

"It's not your fault," Cana told her father. "You aren't the one that killed them. Cheer up."

The King smiled at his daughter before addressing the trio, specifically Lucy. "If you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you?"

"I'm Lucy Ashley," the blonde answered. "And this is Happy and N-"

"Flynn," Natsu interrupted. "My name is Flynn."

Gildarts narrowed his eyes and studied the dragon slayer before shrugging it off. He then returned his attention back to Lucy.

"Where are you from, Miss?" he asked.

"Uhh, I'm from…"

"There is no need to lie," Gildarts replied with a smirk. "I already know you aren't from this world."

The trio's eyes widened as Lucy stammered, "H-How did you know that?"

"Let's just say I have my ways. Explain yourself."

"Umm, okay… Well, I come from a world called Earth and I found this book with a bunch of fairytales and when I got home, I somehow teleported here. I think it was the book's doing. Anyways, apparently I'm the savior and everyone here is cursed and can't have happy endings unless I bring them back individually."

Gildarts rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "May I see your book?" Lucy nodded and handed it to the man. "I see. Do you need to do these stories in order?"

"I think so," the blonde answered. "Apparently I have a limited time to finish these stories and I'm afraid that if I skip one, I'll be too late."

"Because this Mulan girl dies at the end?"

"Yes."

"I agree, it would be too risky to skip a story."

"Well, I'm already skipping one actually…" Lucy informed the King.

"What do you mean?" Gildarts questioned.

"The first story in that book is actually Rapunzel, but it's ripped out so we have no information to go on at all."

Gildarts pondered the thought before smiling at the golden-haired girl. "I wouldn't worry about that story. Just focus on Mulan and the rest."

Lucy fumbled with the end of her tank top and replied, "I would, but I don't know where to go to find everyone. Fiore is too big for me to find them without any clues."

"Perhaps there are clues that you missed or simply don't know about," Gildarts suggested.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked.

"Well, from skimming Mulan's story, I gathered that she is in a place where woman are not allowed to fight, correct?" The three nodded, prompting Gildarts to continue. "That is not a common thing in Fiore. Here, women's strength is admired. However, there is one place that recently banned woman from fighting in battle."

"There is?" Happy questioned.

Gildarts nodded. "Magnolia. I'm guessing that all of these stories have some clues in them telling you where to go. You just need to know some of Fiore's background. I'm guessing _Flynn_ can help you with that."

Natsu nodded, crossing his arms. He was wary about the King, no matter how laid back he was. It was obvious he knew he lied about his name.

"Thank you so much!" Lucy squealed. "I can finally start on this journey and then go home!"

Gildarts studied Lucy and smiled. "I don't think you'll want to go back to your world after this."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Let's just say that Fiore is full of surprises. I'm sure you'll find them appealing to you in the end."

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "I don't think so. I miss my world and I have something I need to do there. Thank you for all of your help, King Clive, but my friends and I need to get going so we can find Mulan before she is killed."

"Good luck!" Cana said, taking a swig from her flask. "I'm sure you'll figure everything out!"

"Before you go, Lucy," Gildarts began as the three walked towards the door, "make sure you research Fiore's King. It is important to know."

The blonde arched a brow but replied, "Okay. Will do!"

And with that, the three were on their way headed towards Magnolia to find Mulan.

* * *

 **AN:** You'll find out who Mulan is next chapter if you haven't figured it out already. ;D So far, we have nine Erza's, two Mira's, one Cana, and one Gray haha! :D Hope you all liked this chapter! :D

Thanks to these reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, FlameDragonHime, Nalulove, Lunahartz, IndianaCombs, TheDigitalDork, Flire and Ice, Still-On-Hiatus, Guest, Alexa60765, Neli.** :D You guys are awesome. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Are you guys ready to find out who Mulan is? ;D I think this is one of my favorite stories I've written. :') But I realized that I had a bunch of typos last chapter lol so I gotta fix that.

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Chapter 10

Flynn Rider

After receiving plenty of food and clothing from the innkeepers and the citizens of Shirotsume, the trio finally left town with a destination in mind. Sadly, that left them trekking through the forest once again until they reached the train station since it didn't reach town.

"I don't want to ride on that death machine!" Natsu exclaimed, greening at the thought. "I refuse!"

"You don't have a choice!" Lucy scolded. "Mulan's life is in danger and we can't waste time just because you get sick!"

"I'm sure she'll be fine waiting a few extra days!"

"No! You were right, I wasted our time in Shirotsume. Mulan could already be dead thanks to me. I should've just came back _after_ I finished the story."

"Nah, think of it as fate," Natsu stated. "If it weren't for you helping them, Gildarts never would've came to town. Then we wouldn't have found out about Magnolia."

Lucy perked up at the thought. "How did you not know about Magnolia anyways?"

"We don't go into towns unless we have to," Happy answered. "We spend most of our time searching through forests."

"Why?"

"Because Igneel has to either be in a thick forest or in the mountains," Natsu answered. "He doesn't like to be around humans and hides from them."

Lucy arched a brow and repeated, "Why?"

"Because of the King," Natsu sneered. "He ordered the extermination of dragons."

The blonde stopped in her tracks and asked, "Why would he do such a thing?"

The dragon slayer shrugged and answered, "Probably because half of the dragons were always trying to kill humans. Igneel and a bunch of other dragons protected them though. Rumor has it that the King was even friends with Igneel."

"It makes no sense as to why he would suddenly want them killed then," Lucy replied, frowning. "Is that why you aren't fond of humans? Because they're trying to kill the dragons?"

Natsu nodded. "Most of the time they aren't successful, but they have killed a few and forced a lot into hiding, like Igneel. We lived far from the kingdom in a thick forest so nobody would ever find us."

"So you think that is why Igneel is missing?"

"Why else would he be?"

"Good point," Lucy stated. "But I don't think that's the only reason you don't come into town much, is it?" The girl noticed the two tense and continued, "Let me guess, you two are fugitives, huh?"

"W-What would make you think that?" Natsu stuttered.

"Y-Yeah, you're crazy, Lucy!" Happy added.

"Well, it's just that you gave King Clive a fake name. The only reason you would really need to do that is if you can't have people in power know who you are, which means you did something wrong. I'm guessing you two got caught stealing."

"It was one time!" Natsu shouted. "We slipped up once and now our faces are on posters all over the country!"

"How did everyone in Shirotsume not recognize you?" Lucy questioned. "And should I be worried being around you two?"

"No way! We only steal!" Happy answered.

The blonde scoffed. "Only. As if that isn't bad."

Natsu ignored her and replied, "Shirotsume is a small town, the posters didn't make it there. And even if they did, those people wouldn't care enough to catch us."

"So is Natsu even your real name?" Lucy questioned. "Or is that a fake name you gave me too?"

"It's my real name," the pinkette answered, crossing his arms. "I used to go by another name, Salamander. But that was when I got caught so I switched it to Flynn. If people know my real name, it only makes it more complicated and risky."

"That makes sense," Lucy replied. Then she stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as she stared at the confused dragon slayer. "Wait a second… A thief that goes by the name Flynn as a cover up… Natsu! You're in this book!"

The boy's eyes widened as he questioned, "I am!? Where!? Show me!"

"I can't. But back in my world, Flynn was a character in the story of Rapunzel!"

"Rapunzel?" Happy repeated. "You mean the story that was ripped out?"

Lucy nodded and answered, "Yep! He was a thief that stole because he thought money could give him happiness and didn't really have anyone in his life."

Natsu scoffed and replied, "Clearly that isn't me then. I only steal to get by and I have Happy."

"Well obviously the stories are different here."

"What happens to me in your world?"

Lucy smirked and answered, "You fall in love with Rapunzel and get married and stop stealing. Isn't that sweet?"

"Psh, no way. I don't need that kinda stuff."

"Well, love happens whether you want it or not! I can't wait to meet Rapunzel! I feel so sorry for her!"

"Whatever, let's just stay focused on Mulan for now," Natsu stated.

Lucy and Happy snickered as they followed Natsu through the woods. They hiked for hours, sweating and panting by the time they finally reached the train station. Natsu bought the tickets- after Lucy refused to sneak on board- and the three were finally on the train towards Magnolia.

Lucy blanched at the sight of Natsu's cheeks puffing out while he drooled and groaned. The girl tried to ignore his whines and whimpers as long as she could but eventually grew tired of hearing them.

"Will you stop it already?" she hissed.

"I can't… I feel sick," Natsu whined.

"It's just a train! You're a dragon slayer! You breathe fire! You should be able to handle a train!"

"Shut up…"

"You're pathetic," Lucy muttered. "Here, lay your head on my lap. I can help."

Natsu's green cheeks dusted pink before he shook his head. "No way… I'll be fine…"

"Stop being so stubborn already!" Lucy demanded as she yanked Natsu by the scarf and set his head on her lap. The boy was about to get up but she pushed him back. Then she began weaving her fingers through his pink tufts of hair, massaging his scalp.

"T-That feels good…" Natsu stated in surprise. "I actually feel a little better."

And it was true. His stomach stopped feeling like it was swishing around and instead settled with a bit unease. Some color returned to his cheeks and he felt his eyes drooping closed.

"Don't tell me you're falling asleep on me," Lucy amusedly whispered.

Natsu let out a huff before his eyes finally shut and he was snoozing away on her lap. Lucy chuckled softly, making sure to be quiet so that he wouldn't wake up.

"Wow, I've never seen Natsu fall asleep on a train before," Happy mused. "I've seen him cry, scream, and barf, but never sleep!"

"Well it looks like it's a good thing I'm here then," Lucy replied.

The train ride was long and tiresome, taking a whole whopping four hours. It was already dark outside. Lucy had never been on a train for that long. In fact, she never even left Seattle unless on rare and necessary occasions. Once the ride ended, Natsu sprang back to life and bolted out of the train. The blonde sat up and stretched her body, her bones popping after having to be in the same position for so long. When she left the train, she found Natsu kissing the ground.

"Eww, Natsu! That's disgusting!" Lucy exclaimed, yanking the boy up by his scarf.

"Don't be such a party pooper!" Natsu retorted. "I'm finally back on solid ground!"

Lucy sighed before walking away, though she had no destination in mind. Sure, knowing to go to Magnolia was a great help, but that did nothing to pinpoint where exactly Mulan was. All the blonde could do was rely on her memories of the movie, knowing what Mulan looked like, and hope they run into each other.

"Where are you going?" Happy asked, flying beside Lucy.

"To find Mulan," she answered. "What else would I be doing here?"

"Don't you think that we should turn in for the night?" Natsu questioned. "It's already dark outside, making it harder to find her."

"But you read the story! If we don't find Mulan in time, she'll die!"

"She isn't dead yet, I know it. Have faith, Luce! Besides, we can't go looking for someone when we are half awake. Let's find another inn for tonight."

The blonde reluctantly nodded and followed Natsu through the city. Magnolia was much bigger than Shirotsume. Even during the night, people were still roaming the streets and shopping from vendors. It was also in much better shape with well-built complexes and paved roads.

Lucy could tell Natsu was antsy by the way he constantly switched his gaze on the lookout. He even wrapped his scarf around his head to hide his pink locks, probably since it was the most memorable thing about him. Surely if someone were to find a wanted poster of him, they would remember him by his hair.

When they finally found an inn, which was nicer but pricier than Deguchi's, the three plopped on their beds. This time there were two beds, meaning Natsu wouldn't have to sleep on the chair. Lucy then washed up and changed into an outfit given to her by Deguchi's wife. It was a pink sweater, big enough on the blonde to wear as a dress for the night.

"I think I'm too exhausted to eat," Lucy muttered, splaying across her bed once again. This one was much better than the one in Shirotsume.

"For once, I think I am too," Natsu replied. "But before we go to bed we should think of a plan for tomorrow."

"I don't think there's much to plan. I mean, there's nothing we can do really other than hope we cross paths with Mulan."

"Why don't we ask people if they know her?" Happy suggested.

"We can't. If we start asking about her we'll only raise suspicion. It won't take long for people to find out what exactly she did considering she talked back to the recruiter. They'll just find her and kill her," Lucy answered.

"Well, better hope we get lucky tomorrow," Natsu stated as he turned off the lamp and they all dozed off into sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy grouchily woke up at the sound of Natsu's snoring. The girl woke up countless times during the night, unable to really get any sleep. His snoring was loud but not constant enough to eventually dull her to sleep. It was sporadic, scaring her with its sudden volume.

"You don't look too good," Natsu informed her as he stepped out of the bathroom after getting ready. He was amazed at how long it took for Lucy to do anything, whether it be to eat, shower, or sleep.

"Thanks," the blonde muttered, grumpily getting out of bed. "It's all because of your snoring. Seriously, who even snores that loud?"

"You get used to it," Happy informed her.

"I hope I don't have to," Lucy replied. "I just wanna finish all of this madness and go home, back to my own apartment with my own bed."

Natsu smirked and teased, "What's wrong? Not liking the trip?"

"How can I when I'm traveling with a thief that sounds like he's being murdered or something in his sleep? I'm gonna go shower."

Lucy sighed as she entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her. The girl lazily stripped away her oversized sweater and entered the shower, which had no curtains and instead a glass door. She had a feeling she wasn't going to be able to take a bath during her journey considering they were on a time crunch.

Washing away the sweat from the prior day, Lucy felt at ease. It was like the water was washing away her troubles and replacing them with serenity. A calmness she hadn't felt since she arrived in Earthland. But of course, travelling with Natsu and Happy meant that peace couldn't stick around long.

Suddenly, the bathroom door was barged open, revealing a frantic looking Natsu. Lucy squealed and attempted to cover her ample chest. Then she remembered there was more than her chest to cover and turned around. At least this way only her bottom would show.

"What the hell are you doing, you pervert!?" the girl screeched. "Don't look at me, turn around!"

"Lucy, there's been an attack!" Natsu stated, ignoring her frantic cries. "Someone is attacking the town!"

"And!? Let the soldiers take care of it!"

"Who do you think is gonna be there among those soldiers?" the dragon slayer asked in annoyance.

Lucy's eyes widened. "Mulan! You're right! We've gotta go! Just get out already so I can get dressed!"

"Jeez, just hurry up!"

When Natsu finally left, Lucy mumbled curse words to herself as she shut off the shower and quickly dried herself off. Then she hastily threw on her outfit for the day: a blue mini skirt and a jacket with a blue cross in the center. Tying her hair into a high pony, the girl quickly left the bathroom to find Natsu and Happy packing their knapsack.

"Finally!" Natsu cried at the sight of the blonde. "Let's go!"

"W-Wait!" Lucy exclaimed. The two looked back at her in confusion. "I-I'm scared…"

"What do you mean you're scared?" Natsu questioned. "You weren't scared to go against Everlue!"

"That's because I thought I was just going undercover!" Lucy argued. "When I had to fight I was scared for my life!"

"Well don't be! I'll do the fighting!"

"Mulan went against an entire army, I can't just leave that to you!"

"What do you think we should do then?" Happy inquired. "We don't have that much time!"

"I know…" Lucy murmured. "Look, it's just that I've never had to fight or use magic before. So yes, I'm scared…"

"But you have magic now, Lucy," Natsu replied.

"I know…"

The dragon slayer walked up to the blonde and placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her down. Onyx bore into brown as they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"You'll be okay," Natsu said. "I'll make sure of it."

Lucy's cheeks dusted pink as she averted her gaze. "J-Just let me make contracts with my spirits first."

"We don't have time for that. We'll do that after, alright? I'm sure they'll understand."

Lucy reluctantly nodded and followed Natsu and Happy as they raced out the door and out of the inn. Sure enough, there was a cloud of smoke a few streets away as flames engulfed buildings. People were running and screaming in terror.

Lucy felt the urge to run with them but decided against it. She was going to fight and help people no matter how scared she was. She survived against Everlue and she would survive against the Huns.

When the trio finally arrived at the battle scene, Lucy was more than surprised to find out that there were so many people. The girl didn't even know who the enemy was supposed to be. Nobody wore a uniform to make things easier.

"Which one is Mulan?" Happy asked as they searched the crowd.

"I don't know, I don't see her!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Describe her to us!"

"Umm okay… According to the movie she has black hair that is tied in a bun and she is wearing bulky armor to hide her feminine body! She's also one of the best fighters!"

"Well I can definitely tell you who the best fighters here are," Natsu stated. "But none of them fit that description and I don't know who is supposed to be the good people."

Lucy scanned the group of people until her eyes landed on one person in particular. The person had dark eyes that glinted with determination and they definitely were one of the strongest soldiers around. They were the only person in armor, as everyone else opted for their normal clothing and their hair was tied in a bun on the top of their head. Though, it certainly was not black and was instead a stunning scarlet. Still, all of the other items on the list checked off and something swirled in her stomach. Like she was pulled to the soldier.

"That's her," Lucy stated, pointing towards the soldier. "That's Mulan!"

* * *

 **AN:** I was honestly surprised that almost everyone guessed Erza right away haha! Well hopefully the next fairytale is harder to figure out! Hope you guys liked that chapter! :D

 **TheDigitalDork:** You got almost everything right! :D I didn't mean for Lucy's story to be a secret really haha! Lucy is indeed Rapunzel and Natsu is Flynn, which was just confirmed! The only thing that was a bit off in your theory was Earth representing her tower. I meant for her apartment to be her tower since she always locked herself away in it and I described it as a tower-like apartment. Good job to you and everyone else who figured it out! :D

Thanks to all of the reviewers: **IndianaCombs, FairyTailFan434, Soul Eater Maka, TheDigitalDork, KittyCrow12, Nalulove, Still-On-Hiatus, Neli2003, Guest, Avhaskake, CelestialLunaPanda-Senpai, Lunahartz.** You guys are awesome. :')


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** I'm in the process of writing one of the hardest arcs haha. I don't know why it's hard but it just is lol. And it doesn't help that I wasn't a big fan of that Disney movie to begin with lmao.

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Chapter 11

Mulan

"That's her!" Lucy shouted, still pointing at the soldier with scarlet hair. "That's Mulan!"

"Uhh, Luce? That person has red hair. That can't be Mulan," Natsu stated.

"I know, but look at the others!" the blonde exclaimed. "She's the only one in armor! Who steals armor? That's right, Mulan! And with _all_ the people here, she's also the only one with a bun! And they're one of the best fighters here! That's her, I can feel it!"

"Alright, then let's help her out!"

Lucy nodded and reached for her keys. Though she didn't have much knowledge about them, she had a feeling the golden keys were stronger. Thus, the girl chose Taurus' key since Aquarius could only be summoned in water, she didn't know Cancer, and she wasn't sure if Virgo actually wanted to be in her care.

Just like the fight in Everlue's mansion, the key warmed in Lucy's hand and the words bubbled up to her mouth on their own.

"Open, Gate of the bull, Taurus!" the girl exclaimed. She nearly fell to her knees with how empty she felt once Taurus materialized. She didn't think she would ever get used to the feeling.

"Miss Lucy!" the bull greeted with a perverted glance. "It is nice to see you and your moooving body again!"

"Taurus, do you think you can fight for me again?" the blonde questioned, ashamed with herself. "Summoning you left me kinda weak and I still don't know how to fight…"

The bull smiled reassuringly at her and nodded. "Just sit back and relax, I'll handle this!"

Natsu grinned at the sight of Lucy using her magic. She was so scared before, it pleased him that she was slowly accepting the way of his world. Her magic was also interesting, one that he hadn't seen until Everlue summoned Virgo. She would definitely be helpful once she learned how to master it.

"Good job, Luce!" the pinkette exclaimed as he brought fire to his hands. "Happy, watch over her!"

"Aye!" the exceed replied.

Natsu nodded towards the pair before leaping beside Taurus and fighting the enemies to the bulls back. The boy grinned maniacally as he punched and kicked anyone who approached him. He always loved a good fight. His cackles filled the air. Their opponents were surprisingly weak; it was their sheer numbers that made them dangerous.

Lucy watched as Natsu delivered flaming punches to man after man, all the while having a good time. Taurus seemed to be having just as much fun swinging his oversized ax around. She had a feeling the two were having an unsaid competition. Then she began to watch Mulan.

The girl's movements were swift and fluid. She only used one sword but was knocking down anyone that stood in her path. If Lucy didn't know her story, she wouldn't have guessed that she was relatively new to fighting.

Another man was also particularly strong as he used magic of his own. It was a type of magic she didn't know how to describe. It was bright and golden, similar to when she summoned a spirit. It reminded her of stars in a night sky. The boy had bright blue hair that swished around as he continuously attacked enemies and a distinguishable face tattoo.

Mulan's gaze then landed on Natsu and Taurus in confusion. Lucy watched as she shrugged it off and focused on her enemies. No matter how many enemies Mulan cut down, their numbers weren't dwindling and the battle was unending. A bright magical circle appeared behind her, large in size, as dozens of swords appeared out of thin air.

"W-What was that?" Lucy asked Happy. "They came out of nowhere!"

"It's requip magic!" the cat answered, just as astonished as she. "Think of it as your magic, but instead of summoning people, she summons weapons and armor. And she also doesn't need a key to do it."

"I thought Mulan didn't use any magic!"

"Here in Earthland, a bunch of people use magic, even you. Just assume everyone in the book uses it!"

Lucy watched as in the blink of an eye, Mulan's swords flew towards the enemies with perfect aim and pierced them all. With all of their combined efforts, the enemies- which Lucy deduced to be mere pawns- were quickly brought down to nothing.

Taurus grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"How was that, Miss Lucy?" he asked.

"That was great!" Lucy answered. "Thank you again! I promise I'll work on being more helpful! You can go back now!"

"Why don't I get a little touch of-"

"BYE!" Lucy shouted in annoyance, swiping her key and forcing the spirit to leave.

"You," an unfamiliar voice called out to her. Lucy looked up to find the man with blue hair staring at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. "You're a celestial mage."

"Y-Yeah," Lucy replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"And you forced the gate closed?"

"Umm, yes?"

"That is a surprising feat. Only strong celestial mages with great control can manage that."

Lucy's eyes widened as she stared down at Taurus' key. What she did took strength? To her it felt like nothing. The blonde smiled to herself. Perhaps she was getting the hang of things.

"Who are you?" the man questioned, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts.

"My name is Lucy Ashley," the girl answered.

"Thank you for your help, Lucy. My name is Jellal Fernandes. I am the General of these people."

Lucy's brown eyes widened as her breath hitched in her throat. The General. That meant that he was the one to kill Mulan. But why was his name Jellal rather than Shang? Shrugging it off, the blonde glanced at Mulan. After giving Jellal a respectful bow, she walked towards the other girl, who stared at her questioningly.

"Hi, Mulan," Lucy greeted in a whisper so that the other soldiers wouldn't hear her. "Can I talk to you in private for a second now that you aren't fighting?"

The redhead stared back at her in confusion before questioning, "Do I know you? I'm afraid I do not know of this Mulan you speak of."

"You don't have to lie to me, I know who you are."

"My name is Ping. I am a mage under Jellal's supervision."

"No, you're Mulan, a woman that snuck in to take her grandfather's place."

The other girl's eyes widened as she glanced around to make sure nobody was listening to them. Sure enough, Jellal was talking to the other soldiers. She then turned narrowed eyes on the blonde, ready to cut her down if she was going to spill her secret.

"You and I are going to have a chat," she said threateningly. "General, I'm going to talk to this girl here." After Jellal nodded at her, Mulan grabbed Lucy harshly by the wrist and led her far away from the others. Stopping far away from them, she requipped a sword and pointed it at the blonde. "Who are you?"

Lucy gasped and stepped away but made sure to stifle her screams. She never imagined she would be threatened by a fairytale character. But hey, there's a first for everything.

"My name is Lucy," she stated. "And I'm here to help you, Mulan."

"My name is not Mulan," the woman hissed, surprising the blonde.

"I-It's not?"

"No, my name is Erza Scarlet. Now what do you want? How do you know my secret?"

Just then, Natsu and Happy approached them.

"Is this her?" Happy asked. "Is this Mulan?"

Lucy shook her head glumly. "No, she said her name is Erza. We got the wrong person."

"Seriously?" Natsu asked in exasperation. "How many girls go around stealing their grandfather's armor and wears their hair in buns?"

"I will ask one last time," Erza began, "how do you know about that?"

"Because we're looking for someone else that did the same thing," Lucy answered, feeling deflated for finding the wrong person. Mulan could already be dead. "We thought it was you but it wasn't. Unless…"

"What is it?" Natsu asked.

Lucy's eyes widened as a wide grin settled on her face. "No, this is her! This is Mulan!"

"I already told you my name is Erza," the redhead replied. "I do not know who this Mulan is."

"No, you're Mulan _and_ Erza!"

"Luce? I'm not understanding," Natsu said.

"Think about it! You're Flynn from Rapunzel. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind. And yet your name is not Eugene! Like the Flynn from my world! Just like how you guys _look_ different from my world and the book, you guys also have different names!"

"So you're saying that Erza is Mulan?" Happy questioned, slowly putting the pieces together.

"Yes! And Jellal is General Shang!"

Erza eyed the trio in both suspicion and confusion.

"What are you three talking about?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Lucy answered. "Do you think you could get away from work for a bit so we could explain?"

Erza studied them long and hard before hesitantly nodding. The fact was they knew her secret, which could ruin her life and get her killed. The least she could do was have a conversation with them.

"Jellal, I will be taking these people back to their residence," Erza stated to the blue-haired man, who smiled and waved her off.

When they reached the inn, Erza watched as the three slumped on their beds in exhaustion. She took that time to study the room. They did not have many possessions, just a backpack, a book, and a blanket from the looks of it.

"Tell me everything," the redhead finally demanded, crossing her arms. Until she got answers, she wasn't going to trust them.

Lucy nodded and explained, "As I said earlier, my name is Lucy Ashley. I come from a different world called Earth. In my world, there are movies and stories of characters nobody thought was real. I bought this book here about them and I somehow teleported into Earthland."

"That story does not sound convincing at all."

"I know, but look!" Lucy flipped open the chapter to Mulan. "You are in this book! And _Flynn_ here is too! Read it for yourself!"

Erza eyed the book before taking it into her hands and reading the story. Her eyes widened as it was strangely coinciding with her own life. When she got to the ending, her breath hitched in her throat. The General, who had to be Jellal, was going to kill her.

"T-There is no way Jellal would kill me!" Erza protested. "He may follow the rules strictly, but I know he would never kill me!"

"I know it seems like it, but that's what would happen if I didn't come," Lucy replied.

"What do you have to do with this?"

"Apparently I'm the savior. The King placed a curse over all of you, taking away your happy endings, right?" Seeing Erza nod, the blonde continued, "The ending to your story is what would happen if I didn't come. It's your _unhappy_ ending. I'm supposed to bring you your happy ending."

"And how are you going to do that?"

Lucy chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head. "I'm not sure… You see, you're the first character in the book and I wasn't really given instructions so I'm kinda just making my way up as I go."

"That is ridiculous," Erza scolded. "How can I trust you with this if you don't have a plan?"

"Because she already brought back somebody's happy ending," Natsu informed the redhead. "Back in Shirotsume. They were barely surviving and she fixed it. She makes it up as she goes along."

"And it worked?"

"Yep. Looks like Lucy has some good instincts. King Clive already gave us his trust so I don't think you really have a choice."

Erza glared at the dragon slayer before sighing and nodding her head. "I see. Well then, Lucy, please bring me my happy ending."

The blonde perked up and nodded. "Of course! I'm guessing that your happy ending is supposed to be the ending of the stories from my world. Though, it's just a guess for now. I'll figure it out as we go."

"And how is my ending back in your world?"

"You and the General fall in love after he finds out your secret, save China, and get married."

The redhead's eyes widened as she took in the information. "What is China? And Jellal doesn't get mad at me after finding out my secret?"

"China is a country. And well, he does get mad but he forgives you," Lucy explained. "Okay, I think our first step is to get some background information. Jellal is a strict rule follower, right?"

"Correct."

"And women aren't allowed to fight here anymore as of recently according to King Clive. That means that something happened to change the rules. Do you know what that is?"

Erza frowned and cupped her chin in thought. "Nobody really knows for sure. Though, there are rumors that King Dreyar was in love with a woman who was a soldier and something happened to her, presumably death. That made him change apparently."

"What is up with the kings around here?" Lucy exasperatingly asked. "First one curses his kingdom because of the death of his wife and now another gets overly protective by banning women from fighting."

"What do you suggest we do?"

Lucy sighed. "I don't really know… I'm not sure if we would be able to talk to this King Dreyar guy and change his mind."

"The King doesn't really see visitors much. He is a kind ruler, truly. It is just that some of his beliefs are mistaken."

"Tell me about who you were fighting against," the blonde stated. "I'm guessing here they aren't called the Huns?"

Erza arched a brow and shook her head. "No, they go by Raven Tail, led by the King's father."

"What? So a father and son are going against each other?"

"Yes. His father is corrupt and evil. This war has lasted a very long time. Before the current King was in his position, his grandfather was King. Because Ivan, the King's father, was corrupt and unjust, he was not given the crown and it was instead given to his son. That is what sparked the war."

"I see… I have an idea," Lucy stated, biting her lower lip in anxiety. "But it's risky. Very risky."

"I like the sound of that," Natsu replied with a fanged grin.

"What do we have to do?" Happy questioned.

"Well, in the story from my world, Mulan defeated the Hun's ruler and most of the army herself," Lucy explained. I think that if Erza defeats Raven Tail and shows the King that women can fight among the men, he should come to his senses. Then Jellal won't be ordered to kill you and then you can fall in love!"

Erza's cheeks matched her hair as she repeated, "L-Love? M-Me and Jellal? In love? H-How absurd."

Lucy giggled and replied, "It's true and you know it."

"Ignoring all that love crap," Natsu began, "how do you expect her to beat the whole army? I mean, she's strong, but I doubt she's _that_ strong."

"It's true," the redhead added. "There is no way that I would be able to beat them on my own. We were up against the pawns and I was eventually losing energy. There are some mages though that are simply too strong for me to handle all together. Perhaps individually."

"Natsu and I can help," Lucy suggested. "How many of the strong ones are there?"

"Five," Erza answered. "One of them being Ivan himself."

"There's only four of us. But… I think if Jellal is as understanding as you say, maybe he'll help."

"You want me to tell him? I'm afraid I cannot do that."

"You love him, right? You need to trust him. Now that I'm here, he won't hurt you. I won't let him!"

"It's not my life I fear for, it is my grandfather's," the redhead informed them. "The only reason he doesn't have to fight is because I'm here to take his place. If something happens to me, they'll either kill him for deceiving them or force him to fight."

"I'm telling you none of that will happen!" Lucy replied desperately. "Please, if you just trust us, things will be alright!"

"How can you be so sure?"

Lucy clenched her fists and answered, "Because I'm the savior! As much as I hated it at first, that is the truth! If I'm here to save everyone, then that is exactly what I'm going to do!"

Natsu and Happy grinned at the blonde while Erza stood stunned by her determination. The girl had a feeling that the three were going to help her whether or not she refused. Besides, if her story ended in her death either way, she might as well at least try.

"Alright," Erza said. "I will trust you, Lucy. What do we do first?"

Lucy beamed at the redhead and answered, "We talk to your true love. We have to talk to Jellal."

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 **AN:** A lot of talking in this chapter, sorry! I'm pretty sure the next chapter has a lot of talking too lol. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed that! Erza is now on board! :D And now they're going to talk to Jellal. How will he take it? :D

Thanks to these reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, KittyCrow12, IndianaCombs, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, Nalulove, Lunahartz, Avhaskake.** As always, you guys are awesome! :D


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Making a Contract

Lucy, Natsu, Happy and Erza sat in their room discussing their plan. Erza was reluctant at first to tell Jellal, but had to know whether or not the man she was in love with truly would try to kill her like the book suggested. The girl continuously tried telling herself that he would never do such a thing to her but couldn't help shake away her doubt. After all, the book seemed like a prophecy. How could she deny it when it had been right about everything else?

Still, Erza was perplexed as to how all of this came to be. Why was Lucy, a girl that wasn't even from their world, the savior to King Heartfilia's curse? How did a book with all of their stories end up in Earth? Hell, she couldn't even fully comprehend the thought of other worlds existing. Perhaps given time she would accept the strange information she was given.

"I am still wary about telling Jellal," Erza stated.

"What, you doubting your true love now?" Natsu teased in poor taste.

The redhead punched the dragon slayer upside the head and glared at him. "Of course not. It's just that even if Jellal takes it nicely, it is still not up to him as to whether or not I can continue fighting. The other mages could report me to those with more power than Jellal."

"Then maybe we should convince him not to tell anybody," Lucy suggested. "I know he is a strict general, but I'm sure he would be understanding! Are there any soldiers- or I guess _mages-_ that you can trust with your secret?"

Erza nodded and answered, "There are two. Their names are Simon and Sho."

"That's great! That gives us five and a half people that can fight!"

"Five and a half?"

"There's you, Natsu, Jellal, Simon, and Sho. Happy can't fight and I am not too experienced either so I counted myself as half a person."

"You are a celestial spirit mage, correct? That is a rare magic these days. Apparently only a handful of people possess it."

"Really?" Lucy questioned. "Why is that?"

"A long time ago, there was a massacre that led to the death of most of the celestial spirit mages," Erza answered. "That only left a handful of people, one of them being the beloved Queen. But she passed, lowering the amount even more."

"The Queen was one too? The one that made King Heartfilia cast the curse?"

"Yes. I do not know much about her other than the fact that she was a just ruler and that she was a celestial mage."

"I see," Lucy replied. "That reminds me! I have to make a contract with my spirits!"

Natsu, Happy, and Erza watched with curiosity as Lucy unhooked her keys. Starting with Taurus, she said the enchantments and summoned him with a bright glow filling the room until the perverted bull appeared.

"Miss Lucy!" Taurus exclaimed with hearts in his eyes. "I knew you would come around!"

"Remember my threat, I will turn you into beef stew if you touch me," the blonde replied.

"The feisty ones are my favorite!"

Lucy sighed and said, "Let's just discuss contracts now, alright? Do you still want to make one with me?"

Taurus grinned and nodded. "Of course! It would be my honor to protect your absolutely moooving body!"

Ignoring the spirit's last remark, Lucy smiled and exclaimed, "That's great! You're strong! And I will get stronger to help you, I promise! So how does this work? Is there a paper I need to sign or something?"

"Nope! We just talk about our agreements. You're free to summon me whenever you want! Other spirits are busier though. They won't always be available."

"I see. Well I'm glad to have made a contract with you, Taurus!"

"As am I, Miss Lucy!"

Before Taurus could say something perverted, Lucy smiled and waved him off. Her heart was light after finally making a contract with one of her spirits, feeling as though she made a new faithful friend.

"Are you sure you wanna make a contract with that perverted cow?" Natsu questioned.

"He's not that bad," Lucy replied with a smile. "He's strong and he's been teaching me a lot about spirits. And I've had him since I was born without even knowing! I'm sure he's been watching over me that entire time, waiting for me to summon him."

"Do you need to make spirits with the rest?" Happy asked. "There's a lot of them."

"You do have quite the collection," Erza added. "Did you have all of them since birth?"

"All but this one," Lucy answered, holding Virgo's key. "I got this after our fight with Everlue. I'm gonna make another contract. This time I'll do Cancer! Open, Gate of the crab, Cancer!"

With another bright glow, another spirit began to materialize. This spirit was just as strange as Taurus, though he had a human-like appearance. He had black hair with red cornrows that led into pinchers that resembled a crab's. Sunglasses with green lenses covered his eyes. He wore a blue collared shirt with vertical, thin black stripes. There was something protruding his back, seeming akin to crab legs. With scissors in his hand, a golden necklace around his neck, and a hairdresser's tool bag clipped to his side, the spirit didn't look menacing or strong like Taurus.

"It is nice to see you, ebi," Cancer said, bowing at the blonde. His voice was deep and a bit scratchy.

"Ebi?" Happy repeated. "B-But you're a crab. Shouldn't you say kani?"

"Why would I say that?" the spirit questioned. "Ebi is nicer."

"Wow, Luce. Your spirits sure are weird," Natsu teased. "What does this one do?"

"Don't be rude!" the blonde scolded. "Anyways, you know my name?"

Cancer nodded and answered, "Yes. We've all been watching over you since you were just a baby, ebi. We've been waiting for you to summon us, ebi."

"I'm sorry it took so long," Lucy replied with a frown. "I had no idea."

"It is fine, ebi. I assume you want to make a contract, ebi?"

"Yes! But only if you want to. If not, I will take you anywhere you want to go. But it'll have to wait until after I finish my mission. We're kinda on a rush against time."

Cancer smiled and shook his head. "That won't be necessary, ebi. I will make a contract with you, ebi."

"Enough," Erza suddenly said harshly. She then pointed at Cancer and continued, "You are being ridiculous. Instead of saying _ebi_ you should say _choki,_ for snip _._ Do you understand?"

The crab spirit tested out the word. "C-Choki."

"There. That is better. Now you may continue your negotiations."

Cancer's cheeks flushed at the harshness of the redhead. Lucy sighed, not expecting him to like that. She also never expected Mulan to be so… _strict._

"You may summon me whenever, choki," Cancer told the blonde. "I specialize in hairstyles and cutting."

"That's it?" Natsu asked, doing a terrible job stifling his laughter. In the blink of an eye, Cancer was right behind the dragon slayer as pink tufts of hair fell to the floor, leaving Natsu with a bald, shiny head.

"Never underestimate the effect of a bad haircut," the crab warned.

"I-I'm sorry!" Natsu cried, picking up his hair and trying to put it back in his head. "Please fix it! I look terrible bald!"

Lucy and Happy laughed at the pinkette's misery while Erza lightly chuckled.

With a swipe of his scissors, Cancer had brought back Natsu's hair.

"I'm not even gonna question how that works," Lucy stated. "Thank you for making a contract with me, Cancer! You can go back now!"

"Before I go, I must warn you," the man began, "only make contracts with the golden keys for now. You cannot possibly summon all of your keys in one day, focus on the stronger ones."

"So the golden keys are stronger?"

"Yes, choki. And one last piece of advice, choki, save Aquarius for last. And be prepared for her… bluntness."

"Umm, alright. Bye, Cancer!" Once the spirit left, Lucy grabbed the next key, Virgo's. She was hesitant to summon the maid. After all, she took Virgo from her master and brought her to another town without asking for her thoughts. However, she didn't have time to hesitate. "Open, Gate of the maiden, Virgo!"

In yet another bright light, Virgo appeared. Lucy fell to her knees, feeling mostly drained of her energy.

"Are you okay, Princess?" the familiar voice questioned.

Lucy looked up, about to answer, when her jaw dropped to the floor with Virgo's new appearance. The previously giant maid was now around the same size as her, maybe even thinner. Her hair was no longer in pigtails and was instead left short and hanging naturally.

"What happened to you?" Lucy questioned.

"I am a loyal spirit. I take whatever form my master likes the most," the maid explained.

"Well, what appearance do _you_ prefer?"

Virgo furrowed her brows in thought. Once again Lucy was asking for what _she_ liked.

"I like this appearance, Princess," she finally answered. "And I would be happy to make a contract with you and serve you. You may summon me whenever you like."

"Really?" the blonde questioned. "Thank you, Virgo!"

"Of course, Princess. I overheard your conversations with Taurus. You wish to fight with us, correct?"

Lucy nodded solemnly. "Yeah, but I don't know how. I'm weak and unexperienced…"

"You can learn," Virgo replied with a small smile. "I thought about a weapon you would be good at and I think I chose a good one."

"A weapon? I-I'm not sure if I could kill anybody."

"Which is why I brought this," Virgo said as she dug a small object from her pocket. Unraveling it, the maid revealed it was a whip.

"A whip?" Lucy asked with pink cheeks.

"Kinky," Happy teased, Natsu laughing with him.

"I believe it will best suit you. I will train you with it later," Virgo stated. "You are running out of magical power quickly, I should go."

And it was true. Lucy felt so drained she could pass out at any moment.

"Thank you again, Virgo," the blonde said. "I promise I will treat you better than Everlue did."

Virgo smiled and nodded. "Good luck summoning Aquarius, Princess."

And with that said, the maid went back to the Celestial Spirit World.

"I wonder why everyone is warning you about this Aquarius spirit," Erza mused. "Perhaps they are dangerous."

"We'll see," Lucy replied. Truthfully, Cancer's and Virgo's warnings did unsettle her, but she wasn't going to stop. If Aquarius didn't want to make a contract with her, that would be fine. She wouldn't force them. Remembering that the spirit needed water to be summoned, Lucy filled the bathtub with some water and shouted, "Open, Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

The water in the tub swirled around, spilling onto the floor and drenching Lucy. The girl wiped away the water from her eyes and blinked to find a mermaid with a blue tail and long, slicked back blue hair staring at her with one of the most annoyed expressions she had ever seen. She had a blue bikini top and held a golden urn to her side, which she promptly used to bash the blonde upside the head with.

Lucy yelped in pain and rubbed the soon to be bruised spot on her head. Then she glared at the spirit.

"What was that for!?" she hissed.

"Huh? You wanna talk back to me, girl?" the mermaid questioned threateningly.

"Yes, because you hit me!"

"I hit you because you're an idiot! Took you twenty one years to figure out how to use us! Do you know how boring it was to watch your brattish self grow up?"

"I'm not a brat!" Lucy argued, crossing her arms.

"Perhaps you shouldn't speak to Lucy that way," Erza threatened. To her surprise, the mermaid showed no fear and came face to face with her.

"What are you gonna do about it, brat? Stay out of this!" the mermaid replied, leaving Erza perplexed. She clearly was not used to being talked back to.

"I'm sorry for taking so long," Lucy apologized. "But I would still like if you would make a contract with me."

Aquarius narrowed her eyes at the blonde and glanced at her keys. "Tsch. You don't even have his key. But fine. Since the others agreed to, I will too. But unlike them, I ain't as nice. You can summon me whenever you want, but I'll leave if I don't wanna help you."

"Umm, alright!" Lucy replied.

"And you better get stronger, girl! My last owner was the strongest celestial spirit owner in all of Fiore, you've better catch up!"

"I'll try my best!"

Lucy could've sworn the corners of Aquarius' lips twitched into a miniscule smile before the mermaid scoffed at her. Without saying goodbye or even waving, Aquarius disappeared saying one last thing, "This is why you've never had a boyfriend."

A vein in Lucy's forehead ticked in irritation. There were so many questions she had yet to ask, but after summoning so many spirits and dealing with Aquarius' harsh attitude, she felt completely drained. Her brown eyes drooped closed as she leaned onto the bathroom wall and slid to the floor. She didn't have enough energy to move onto her bed or change out of her soaked clothes.

"I'm sorry, guys," the blonde breathed out. "I don't have enough energy to do anything now. Can we talk to Jellal tomorrow?"

The other three smiled at the golden-haired girl and nodded. Erza bid farewell and left while Natsu scooped Lucy into his arms and gently placed her in his bed.

"Why your bed?" Lucy tiredly asked.

"Because I know you wouldn't want to sleep in your bed tomorrow with it wet," Natsu answered with a chuckle. "I can just dry it with my magic tomorrow."

"Thank you," Lucy said before her eyes drooped closed for the night. A content smile was plastered to her face the whole night, happy to know that she had people watching over her over the years, even when she felt alone.

 **AN:** So Lucy finally has contracts with most of her spirits! :D Looks like they'll have to talk to Jellal next chapter lol. Which will happen, I promise haha. Hope you all enjoyed! :D

 **Moheart7:** I have plans for Levy and Gajeel but can't say what. :) They will definitely be in the story though! I don't wanna give it away haha! :D

Thank you so much to these reviewers: **IndianaCombs, Moheart7, Avhaskake, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Amourshippingfan24, Nalulove, Hsdust, Alexa60765, Still-On-Hiatus.** :')


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** A pretty long chapter this time! :D Hope you all enjoy! :) And omg this story has 100 reviews I'm so glad! I'll give you a sneak peek of the next chapter as thanks! :')

* * *

Chapter 13

Step One: Talking to Jellal

After a good night's rest, Lucy woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. Her body no longer felt drained and now with her contracted spirits, she felt like she could do anything. Her spirits were invaluable. Taurus was great for brute strength, Cancer was excellent for a haircut or even torture if need be, Virgo was a good pick for escaping, and Aquarius was sure to save her in any situation regarding water. And soon she would make contract with her silver keys as well.

"How ya feelin', Luce?" Natsu asked as he stepped out of the bathroom, his bangs stuck to his forehead after his shower.

"Much better," the blonde answered with a smile. "I'm ready to help Mulan! I mean, Erza! I'm ready to help Erza! I guess I'm still not used to that."

"What was my name in your world?" the dragon slayer asked. "You said it yesterday but I don't remember."

"Eugene."

"Eugene? That's a totally lame name!"

Lucy giggled and replied, "I suppose Natsu has a better ring to it."

"Of course it does!" the pinkette replied. "Now hurry up and get ready. We're meeting Erza at some bakery in town."

Lucy nodded and grabbed her towel and a fresh outfit. This time the girl made sure to lock the door before stripping and entering the shower. The water pelted her skin, soothing it with its warmth. A long night's rest and a hot shower was just what she needed after all the magic she used.

After finishing her shower, Lucy grabbed her white towel and dried herself off leisurely. It was clear that they had some time left with Erza before Jellal found out, considering they were telling him together. She deserved to be able to take her time getting ready.

Lucy smiled as she slipped into a black mini skirt and thigh-high socks. She paired it with a crop top with a plunging heart neckline, white in color with a blue heart and rimmed with gold. Over that she wore a vest in the same blue outlined in gold and on her arms were blue ruffled fabrics with gold bows.

The blonde grabbed her new weapon and frowned. She had never used a whip before, and just as Happy said the day before, it was quite kinky. But if Virgo suggested it, she would try it. After all, she wanted to fight with her spirits and would do anything to be able to.

After attaching her whip to her side, Lucy nodded at her reflection, pleased with her appearance. Wearing crop tops and miniskirts were normal in Earth, but certainly not that style. And the fabric on her arms, she didn't even know what to call them. Still, though the clothing in Earthland was strange, she had to admit she liked it. It seemed to suit her better.

"Finally," Natsu groaned. "Why do you have to take so long? All you have to do is shower and get dressed."

"Aye! You're gonna run this inn to the ground with how much hot water you use!" Happy added.

Lucy stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms. "Hush. I'm ready now so let's go."

The blonde followed as Natsu led the way down the streets of Magnolia. It was such a bustling town full of people enjoying their days. One wouldn't be able to guess that they were in a war. At that thought, something crossed Lucy's mind.

"Why doesn't King Heartfilia help King Dreyar with the war against Ivan?" she questioned. "I'm sure he has a bunch of soldiers to help."

"He does. But small wars like this happen all the time. If he sends all his soldiers to Magnolia, that leaves him defenseless," Natsu explained. "If the main king dies, Fiore will go into a frenzy."

"But he cursed all of you. He doesn't sound like a good ruler anyways."

Natsu shrugged and crossed his arms behind his head. "I don't visit cities enough to really see the effect he has on people, but from what I heard, he's a good ruler besides the whole curse thing. Igneel taught me that humans are selfish and power-hungry beings. King Heartfilia isn't that bad. I mean, the guy split up his land and let other people rule over it. No ruler has ever done that before."

"I guess that's true," Lucy replied. "Still, I can't wait to meet King Heartfilia and make him take back his curse. Losing your family doesn't give you the right to take away everyone else's happiness."

Happy flew onto the blonde's head and questioned, "Have you ever lost family?"

The girl shook her head. "Nope. But I haven't found them either so who knows. Still, even if I did, I know I wouldn't curse everyone else! That is unfair!"

Natsu eyed Lucy curiously. She hadn't found her family? What exactly did that mean? Did she not have one? The boy shook his head to clear his mind. He shouldn't be thinking about that, it would only make him curious about her and therefore attached. The less he knew about her the better.

"We're here," Natsu stated, standing outside of a bakery.

"Why are we meeting at a bakery?" Lucy questioned. "Actually, I don't care. I'm hungry anyways. And if you two even think about stealing-"

"Relax, Lucy!" Happy exclaimed. "We only steal from stands because they're easier! There's no way we would be able to steal when the food is behind a glass!"

"Good! Well, you shouldn't steal from stands either, but at least I know you won't steal while we're together."

With that, the trio entered the bakery, the scent of fresh goods filling their nostrils. Lucy sighed in content and skipped towards the display case to look at the food. A banana nut muffin sat high on a stand, seemingly calling her name.

"I'll take that banana muffin," Natsu told the clerk, suddenly appearing next to Lucy.

"How did you know I wanted that?" Lucy asked.

The boy chuckled and answered, "You were practically drooling over it."

"Shut up! No I wasn't!"

Natsu grinned and turned back to the man, who handed Lucy her muffin. "I'll take a blueberry muffin. And a chocolate chip muffin for Happy."

After purchasing their food- which Lucy made sure of- the three scanned the bakery until their eyes found a familiar scarlet haired girl talking to the same blunette from before. From where they were standing they were able to see the pink dusting Erza's cheeks as she talked to Jellal and munched on her strawberry cake. Jellal seemed just as interested as he rested his head on his hand and smiled at the redhead.

"How cute!" Lucy gushed. "They're so in love!"

"You sure about that?" Natsu asked. "That's the guy that's supposed to kill her."

"He wouldn't do that! I can tell he loves her!"

"Still, some people make sure not to disobey their higher-ups no matter what the cost. Let's see if Jellal is one of those guys or not."

With that said, Lucy warily walked to where the two were sitting. She hoped with all her heart that Natsu was wrong and that Jellal would understand their situation. What good of a savior would she be if she couldn't keep Mulan from being killed by her true love?

"You are the ones from yesterday," Jellal's voice called out, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts.

She smiled weakly and nodded. "It's nice to see you again."

"As it is with you. What are you three doing here?"

"I told them to come," Erza answered for them. Her eyes were glued to the table as she clenched her skirt. "We have some things we need to discuss…"

"Really?" Jellal questioned, raising a brow. "What is it?"

"It's best if we don't talk about that here," Lucy stated. "How about we just focus on eating first and then we'll go back to our place to talk?"

The group munched on their breakfast in content silence, save for Natsu inhaling his food. Lucy on the other hand ate more politely, though she admittedly wanted to shove the whole thing into her mouth. After all, she didn't get the chance to eat dinner after passing out last night.

During their time at the bakery, Lucy was able to find out a lot about Jellal. He was apparently the youngest general in Magnolia and got the position with his sheer abilities. Lucy knew from watching him fight yesterday that he was indeed a strong mage. She then found out that he used heavenly body magic, which was similar to hers in the sense that it relied on the stars.

Jellal seemed just as interested in her. He looked at her as if he was studying her or something and kept asking questions about where she was from or where she learned her magic. He asked a lot of questions she couldn't answer yet, not without revealing the whole story. With the questions he asked, it seemed as though he knew something she didn't. Like he knew more about her than she did. It unsettled her.

After eating, the group of five briskly traveled back to the inn. Lucy could tell Erza was trembling in fear of what was to come. She could only imagine how nerve-wracking it would be to confess to a crime that was apparently punishable by death. A death that would be delivered by the love of her life if he didn't agree to keep her secret and help her.

Lucy sucked in a deep breath as she unlocked her door and prepared herself for the conversation ahead of them. Jellal complimented the room and took a seat on the chair while Lucy and Erza sat on one bed, Natsu and Happy the other.

"So what is this about?" Jellal questioned, his face now morphed into seriousness.

"U-Umm, well you see…" Lucy began, unsure as how to continue. It was easier telling Erza because she had the book to prove it and was trying to help her. Telling Jellal felt like begging to spare Erza's life, which was pretty much what they were doing.

"I have a confession to make," Erza stated, her voice shaky while her hands shook. The girl stood from the bed and reached towards her hair, pulling out her hair tie and causing her scarlet locks to cascade down her back. Apparently Erza didn't cut her hair like the story of Mulan suggested and only tied it into a bun. Lucy briefly wondered how nobody- including herself- was able to figure it out from first glance. "I am a woman."

Jellal stared at Erza with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Then, his hair curtained his eyes as his lips straightened grimly, his hands forming fists that rested on his thighs. Natsu watched his every move, ready to attack if needed. Erza lowered her head in shame, her body still trembling.

"You are aware that your actions of serving in war is a crime," he stated darkly. "One that I must kill you for."

"Wait!" Lucy cried, shooting up from her spot. "There's a reason for this! Just listen!"

"No. Ping's actions are unexcusable," Jellal stated. He stood from his spot and towered over the redhead, who hung her head in acceptance, hiding her tears. "Isn't that right, _Erza?"_

Erza whipped her head up to stare at Jellal, who in turn smiled at her. How did he know her name? She had been going by Ping for as long as she knew him. She was sure she hadn't slipped up.

"H-How did you know?" Erza inquired.

Jellal chuckled softly and answered, "I've known since the moment I saw you. You haven't changed a bit."

"You know me?"

"Yes, but that is a story for another time. For now, let's discuss this. Lucy, you're the savior, correct?"

Lucy's jaw hung on its hinges. "Y-Yeah. How did you know that?"

Jellal smirked and answered, "I know much more than you think. Let's just say that I've read many history books. Anyways, you," he began, pointing at Natsu. "You are Natsu Dragneel and Happy. You two take jobs that involve stealing."

Natsu growled and narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. So he knew their secret. Being a general under King Dreyar, he was sure to turn them in, especially knowing that he was a strict leader.

Jellal chuckled at Natsu's menacing face and said, "Don't worry, I'm not turning you in. But do know that there are wanted posters of you in Magnolia. I'm not turning Erza in either."

"You aren't?" the redhead questioned.

"No. So long as Natsu agrees not to steal while in Magnolia, I will let him go."

"And what if I don't?" the dragon slayer questioned, crossing his arms. He never was one to take orders.

Jellal's smile vanished, replaced with a serious expression and hard eyes. In truth, in unnerved Natsu as he could feel magic rolling off of the other man. "Know that I am General for a reason and you cannot win against me."

Lucy switched her glance between the two worriedly. She needed Natsu to help her finish her mission. Not to mention the fact that she liked having him around, no matter how grumpy or annoying he could be.

"Natsu," she whispered, "just agree! You know I wouldn't let you steal anyways!"

The said boy scoffed and replied, "Fine. I won't steal anything."

Jellal's smile returned as he nodded to the boy. "So what is it you need from me? I'm sure you have a reason telling me all of this now?"

Erza nodded and gestured towards Lucy. "She has a book. In it is my story. I am apparently a character."

"And since Lucy is the savior, she needs to give you a happy ending," Jellal mused. Lucy was astonished by his intelligence. He was able to figure everything out so quickly. Probably faster than she did.

"That is correct," Erza replied. "We've already come up with a plan. We're going to defeat Ivan and I will prove to the King that women are not inferior."

"That is a great plan. Let me guess, you need my help fighting?"

"Yes," Lucy answered. "But Erza needs to get the credit. That's the only way this will work."

Jellal cupped his chin in thought. "Surely the King will understand once we beat his father. But are you sure we will be able to beat Ivan and his forces?"

"If I'm fighting we will be," Natsu stated with a crooked grin.

Jellal nodded. "I will assist you in your fight."

Erza smiled at the boy and felt tears prick her eyes. She felt bad for doubting the man she fell in love with. She should've known that he wouldn't kill her, with or without Lucy's being there. The redhead turned towards the blonde and her smile grew.

"What now?" she questioned.

Lucy's brows raised as she pointed to herself and asked, "You're asking me?"

"Of course. You're the one that came up with this plan and it worked. Not to mention that you're the savior. You should be coming up with the plans."

"But you're supposed to be Mulan!" the blonde argued. "Mulan was a great strategist and that was how she beat the Huns! I'm just a writer from the slums of Seattle, I think you would be the better plan maker."

"Have more faith in yourself, Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed. "You can do this! You got us this far!"

"Aye! If anyone's gonna make the plans it should be you!" Happy added.

Lucy smiled at her friends and nodded. In Earth she felt unneeded, like her very existence was unknown to the world. But here she was necessary. She had a purpose. There was no time to feel insecure. She had to bring back the happy endings, starting with Erza's.

"Alright," Lucy said with a determined smile. "First we need to set everything up."

* * *

Erza sat on a grassy hill as she watched the blades of grass sway side to side with the cold wind. Despite it being mid-July, the nights in Magnolia were undeniably chilly, causing the hairs on her arms to stand. The girl wanted to undue her bun and let her locks of scarlet flow freely, but knowing that was a bad idea, she kept her hair tied to the top of her head.

Part of Erza missed the life she had before. The girl missed her grandfather. Though the man wasn't related to her by blood, she would go to her grave saying he was her grandfather after all he had done for her. She also missed her small village, Rosemary, despite the troubles she had there.

Everyone looked at Erza differently in Rosemary. The girl wasn't exactly well-liked in the village considering she refused to follow its traditional rules. Like being a good little girl and following any man's order. There were countless of times a man tried touching her, only to end up with missing teeth and bruised skin. That definitely got her in trouble with the matchmaker, though she didn't really care. She didn't want to be wed to some random man anyways.

She didn't even really want to be wed at all in truth.

Marriages meant nothing to Erza after watching women be forced to marry not out of love. The girl could never see herself falling in love with a man considering she spent a large part of her life avoiding them. She told her grandfather many times that what was expected of her wasn't what she wanted. He would always tell her that it was alright, but she knew deep down her actions were indeed not alright.

Rosemary was extremely conservative in its ways. Every time Erza stood up for herself against a man, her grandfather would be punished. Still, he told her to keep being herself.

 _"We didn't gain our freedom just to lose it,"_ he would always tell her.

So, when the recruiter came riding on horseback and ordering her grandfather to join the war, Erza was more than surprised to find herself scolded by her grandfather himself after she stood up to the recruiter. Apparently talking back to one of the officials that worked under the King was a bit too much.

Still, Erza knew she couldn't let her grandfather fight in the war when he was already injured from the last, he couldn't walk properly. When the man was asleep, the redhead crept into the storage room and stole the armor he kept from the previous war, a metallic chest plate. The girl simply touched the armor, causing it to disappear into her inventory. Then she strode off to Magnolia where her life would become anew.

Fighting came easy to Erza. It wasn't something she was new to. She cut down her enemies swiftly and took whatever armor and weapons she liked until her storage was full. What was difficult was keeping her identity a secret, especially from the General.

The General was a strict man but kind in heart. He showed no mercy in his training but congratulated them with a small smile afterwards. Erza rose through the ranks quickly thanks to her fighting abilities and immediately became Jellal's second in command. Even though he was the one in charge, she found that it didn't feel like it with how many orders she issued.

Erza and Jellal met up every night on a grassy hill simply to talk. Over time, the smiles and laughter that they allowed around each other led to something more. Something precious that Erza never expected in her life. She was falling in love with the man.

Erza tried to steel herself and shut off her feelings but they only grew with each day. The girl couldn't stop herself from meeting him on their special hill and one night, their hands met by accident. Both of their cheeks flushed pink and it was then that she knew Jellal reciprocated her feelings. It was made even clearer when they accidentally tumbled down the hill another day and he was hanging over her, his lips inching closer to hers ever so slowly. Only for her to become nervous and push him away.

After all, Jellal wasn't falling in love with her for her true self. He was falling in love with a lie. Erza knew she couldn't subject the kind man to that. But that didn't stop either of their feelings and the small smiles they sent each other when nobody was watching.

"Figured I would find you up here," a sudden voice rang out.

Erza jumped in her spot in shock and tilted her head upwards to find Jellal smiling down at her. Letting out a sigh of relief, the redhead allowed herself to smile at the man and patted the ground next to her. Jellal plopped next to her and gazed at the starry sky.

"I didn't think you would come tonight," Jellal stated, the corners of his lips tugged into a smile.

"Why wouldn't I?" Erza questioned.

"I figured you would be preparing for tomorrow. Simon and Sho agreed to help us. We storm into battle tomorrow."

It was true. Simon and Sho didn't look surprised at all when Erza revealed she was a girl. In fact, they only grinned at her and accepted to help.

"I'll allow myself to rest after the fight. For now, I need to ask you how you know me."

Jellal sighed, expecting she would ask him. He just hoped he would be able to wait until after they defeated Ivan to tell her.

"You're from _there,_ aren't you?" Erza asked. The way she looked at him made it clear she already knew the answer.

The blunette nodded and stared at the sky once again. "I am. But it seems you don't remember."

"My grandfather erased most of my memories of my time there," the redhead informed him.

"Why did Grandpa Rob only take most of your memories? Wouldn't it have been best if he took all of them?"

"So you knew him too. And I asked him that as well. He said that I needed to know some stuff of what happened. That was where I learned my magic after all. He also said that if he erased all of my memories, I would be too confused since I wouldn't remember the last two years of my life."

Jellal nodded and stated, "I suppose that makes sense. He could've kept us in your memory though."

Erza arched a brow and questioned, "Us?"

"Simon, Sho, and I. We were your cellmates along with Grandpa Rob," Jellal answered, followed by a soft chuckle. "I actually gave you your last name."

"You did? I'm starting to think that perhaps the good memories of our time in that cursed facility is worth remembering the bad as well," the redhead replied.

"Perhaps it is. I believe I'm familiar with the spell Grandpa Rob used to erase your memories. I know how to bring them back if you'd like."

"Really? Then of course!"

"I'll do it _after_ we beat Ivan," Jellal stated, deflating the redhead's mood. "I know it may seem unpleasant waiting, but trust me."

"I do," Erza replied with a soft smile. She gazed deeply into Jellal's eyes, her cheeks warming. This time she didn't hide away in embarrassment. She let her feelings show. "I do trust you."

Jellal smiled and took hold of Erza's hand, squeezing it gently within his. They turned their gazes to the stars in a content silence. Both were aware of how they felt and knew that after the war, they would finally be able to show it. But for now, they were willing to wait one extra day.

* * *

"Jeez, Luce. Would you stop pacing around already? We're going to be fine," Natsu said as he laid in bed and watched the frantic blonde walk back and forth in the small room. She was holding her keys tightly in her hand and her whip in the other.

"I can't," Lucy replied. "That fight against Everlue was a walk in the park compared to what this is going to be and I barely made it out of that one. I can't fight and there are five people that are strong."

"And there's seven of us, so stop worrying!" the pinkette exclaimed.

"Happy and I don't count!"

"That still makes it five against five," Natsu reminded the girl.

"And the pawns."

"Which Jellal's mages will take care of."

"Still! If Ivan was an easy man to defeat, don't you think the King would have done it by now?" Lucy questioned, biting her lip in anxiety. "We aren't gonna live through this!"

"Lucy sure know how to worry," Happy muttered to Natsu, who sighed and nodded in return.

"Think of it this way," the pinkette began, "if we don't do this, you'll never get back to Earth and everyone here will be screwed."

"What kind of pep talk is that!?" the blonde screeched.

" _But_ if we go and actually win, you'll be able to go home and everyone will get their happy endings, including us. So we can either sit here and die by Ivan since he's apparently so strong, or we can actually fight for what we want. The choice is yours."

Lucy sighed knowing he was right. After all, she was the one that made the plan. It would be nothing but cowardly if she backed out now. With what little strength she had, she was going to fight using it all.

* * *

 **AN:** So they're going against Raven Tail next chapter! :') And we got a bit of Erza and Jellal's past! Let me know what you think about it! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **IndianaCombs, Lunahartz, TheDigitalDork, Nalulove, Aisika, Soul Eater Maka, tt, Avhaskake.** As always, you are amazing. :')

And as promised, here is a sneak peek for the next chapter:

 _Lucy's heels clicked with each step as she walked through the empty hallways of Ivan's castle while Happy flew beside her. The girl wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She knew the others expected her to fight, but what if she couldn't find anybody? Or worse, what if she did and was beaten?_

 _Lucy shook her head, refusing to think negatively any longer. She was inexperienced and nowhere near as strong as the others but she wasn't going to let fear stop her. If they needed her help, she would fight with all she had._

And that's it! :D


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** So far I have fifty chapters written for this story and there hasn't been a single kiss yet for Nalu. It's a slow burner for this story but at least that means it'll be long! :'D

* * *

Chapter 14

Step Two: Invade the Castle

"So you're telling me Ivan has a castle?" Lucy asked, fidgeting in her spot on her bed beside Erza.

"Yes," Jellal answered.

"If you guys know where it is, why haven't you stopped him already?" Natsu questioned.

"Because he's too powerful," Erza answered. "Every time a team is sent there, they never come out."

"Oh great," Lucy muttered. "That's very reassuring."

"Don't worry. You are the savior, we will win."

"As long as nee-san is here, we can't lose!" Sho exclaimed, referring to Erza. The man was a bit on the shorter side with tanned skin, darker than Natsu's. His hair was golden like hers and his eyes were dark and beady. On his face was a tattoo that appeared to be the number five in a strange font. Dangling from one ear was an earring with a diamond at the end.

"I agree," Simon added, his voice dark and mysterious. He was a tall and bulky man with muscles bulging just about everywhere. Though what truly stuck out the most about him was the armored metal plate over his jaw and the eyepatch over his left eye. He also wore a cloth around his head, similar to a turban. Lucy wondered how he became so injured but knew better than to question it.

While Sho was more sensitive and boisterous, Simon was calm and collected. Two different personalities yet still they meshed perfectly together, along with Erza and Jellal. They were clearly a close group of friends, only growing closer after Erza's second confession, which Lucy and her two partners were not around for.

"The castle is deep in the mountains, only a few hours' trek from here," Jellal stated.

"In the mountains? We have to climb mountains?" Lucy questioned. The girl couldn't even survive the hours of walking and now she was going to have to climb a mountain.

"Don't worry about that," Erza replied. "Ivan is cocky and arrogant. He's made a staircase for anyone that wants to oppose him simply because he believes he will never lose."

"Can we take a train there?"

"No train runs towards the mountains. We have to walk. We will give you an hour to prepare and then we will depart."

With that said, the visitors left, leaving Lucy to mope on her bed. That was possibly the last day of her life and she was going to spend it hiking and climbing up stairs to get into some evil guy's castle just to get killed.

"Maybe I should make a contract with a silver key," Lucy stated, grabbing her keyring.

"Are you sure? That'll take some energy," Happy replied.

"We'll be leaving in an hour and I'm only summoning one, I'll be refilled by then." Plucking the first silver key from its ring, Lucy felt the words bubble to her lips. "Open, Gate of the Canis Minor, Nikola!"

In a bright light, though not as bright as when Lucy summoned the zodiac spirits, a snowman-looking creature appeared with a dopy smile on its face. He was small in size and its legs tremored nonstop. Natsu and Happy blanched at the creature.

"Better luck next time," they said in unison.

"I didn't mess up!" Lucy barked. "He's so _cute!"_ The blonde picked up the spirit and hugged him tightly against her chest. "I'm gonna name you Plue! Ahh, you're just what I needed to calm down!"

"Can he fight?" Natsu questioned, poking the creature with his finger.

"I don't think so," Lucy answered while Plue shook his head. "I think he's more to cheer me up and keep me company!"

"How useless."

"Don't call him that! That is mean!"

"I just figured that you would want another fighting spirit before we go into Ivan's place."

"Another fighting spirit wouldn't have calmed me down," Lucy explained. "Plue here calmed my nerves instantly."

Natsu shrugged and left the blonde to her newest friend, who was more like a pet than anything. Happy and Plue immediately clicked, causing the dragon slayer to sigh. Happy was getting too attached. Their plan was to finish the storybook and let Lucy go home while they searched for Igneel again. He couldn't let Happy get too attached or else it would break his heart in the end.

* * *

An hour later, Erza and the rest of the mages came knocking at their door, signaling that it was time to depart. Lucy's legs trembled with each step she took as she got farther and farther from her safe haven. If she was to truly die that day, her life really would have been a waste considering she didn't get to do anything she wanted.

Lucy released a heavy sigh as the group approached the mountains. The girl's heels were definitely not good shoes to be traveling in and after their hike just to reach the mountains- which took three hours of walking through the woods- her feet were starting to blister. If she was to live through this ordeal, which was unlikely, her first stop would be to buy some practical shoes.

Just as Erza said, there was indeed a makeshift staircase spiraling up one of the mountains, where the Raven Tail Castle stood near the top. Lucy followed behind everyone else as she made sure to watch her step carefully. There were no rails to help her, and judging from the bodies she found at the bottom of the mountain, climbing the stairs wasn't going to be easy.

"Watch your step very carefully," Jellal advised as he led the group. "Here are some picks. Just for precaution, stab it into the mountain with each step. Wind blows harsher the higher we go."

"Oh jeez," Lucy muttered under her breath as Happy handed her a pick. The girl gripped her keys, relaxing at the warmth they sent her. Back in Seattle, she would hold them whenever she was nervous but they never warmed under her touch. Now in Earthland, she knew she wouldn't be alone.

The group continued to walk in silence as everyone was too focused on their steps to talk. Once, Lucy's heel caught on the edge of a step and she fell off the stairs, falling through the air until Happy flew and caught her. The scolding she received from Erza and Natsu about being careful stuck with her as she slowed her steps.

Just as Jellal said, the wind did grow harsher as they climbed and the air definitely got thinner, or perhaps it was just Lucy's fears getting to her. After they took a quick break replenishing lost energy, they climbed for another hour until they were finally nearing the last step. Everyone in front of the blonde dashed towards the top but Lucy kept with her slow speed, not wanting to fall over when she was so close to the top.

Lucy collapsed onto the ground once she made it onto the flat land they were resting on. The girl panted for air, truly feeling like she couldn't breathe. She really was out of shape. Though, it wasn't like she was expecting to climb a mountain back in Seattle.

"So this is Raven Tail?" Happy questioned.

Lucy craned her head up and gaped at the castle in front of her, dark and gaudy. It didn't look anything like the castles the girl saw in the stories growing up. Usually they were lightly colored and had beautiful flags waving around it. Ivan's was purely black with few windows and barbed wired gates.

"Interesting choice," Lucy muttered sarcastically. "I would've went with pink."

"Hurry up," Erza ordered. "We need to do this fast. The other mages should be waiting around here somewhere."

"There they are," Jellal said, pointing towards what looked like a blob in the distance. Apparently it was all of their soldiers waiting for battle. "We go in first and they follow, taking out the weaker mages."

"What are we waiting for?" Natsu questioned, flames engulfing his hands. "Let's go invade the castle!"

"W-What if we run into enemies?" Lucy asked, her nerves unsettled once again, though this time gripping her keys didn't help.

"We fight," Erza answered. "I think we should split up."

"Split up? I-I don't think that's a good-"

"You're right," Jellal interrupted. "Splitting up will get it done faster, not to mention make it easier to sneak around the castle."

"But I-"

"Let's go!" Erza shouted, dashing for the castle. Sho and Simon grinned and ran after the redhead while Jellal chuckled and followed. Natsu helped Lucy to her feet and gave her what was supposed to be a reassuring smile before running towards the others.

"Don't worry, Lucy!" Happy said. "I'll stay with you! If anything happens, I'll fly you away and we'll find Natsu!"

Lucy smiled at the cat and nodded, running towards to castle. Already the other mages were battling with Ivan's castle, making it easier for her to slip inside since they were preoccupied. When the girl entered the grand doors of the castle, the others were nowhere in sight. She really wasn't the fastest of runners but she didn't expect to be left behind so quickly.

Lucy's heels clicked with each step as she walked through the empty hallways of Ivan's caslte while Happy flew beside her. The girl wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She knew the others expected her to fight, but what if she couldn't find anybody? Or worse, what if she did and was beaten?

Lucy shook her head, refusing to think negatively any longer. She was inexperienced and nowhere near as strong as the others but she wasn't going to let fear stop her. If they needed her help, she would fight with all she had.

"This castle is even uglier on the inside," Lucy stated. Framed pictures of a man with dark hair and a wicked smile were all over the castle. She assumed they were of Ivan. "Imagine the ego he must have to put pictures of himself all over his home."

Happy snickered and replied, "Aye. You would think he would be better looking too."

The two shared a quick laugh before Lucy arched a brow. With each step she took, there was an echo coming from farther down the hall.

" _It wasn't echoing before,"_ the girl thought. " _Which means that they aren't my footsteps."_ The blonde stopped in her tracks and grabbed her keyring, readying herself for whoever was up ahead.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" Happy asked, flying beside the said girl.

Lucy's brows slanted as she glared at whoever was approaching them. "There's someone coming."

Sure enough, a wicked giggle sounded from in front of them as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a woman with long, crimson hair braided around her face. She had a voluptuous body like Lucy and clearly had no problems showing it as she wore a tight red dress with a plummeting neckline. Her eyes were wide and menacing.

"Blondie," the girl said with a wicked grin. "Blondie."

"Who are you?" Lucy questioned, her voice surprisingly steady.

"My name is Flare. And you are Blondie."

"Lucy, this girl has strong magical power! I can sense it!" Happy warned.

"I know, I can too," Lucy replied.

"What are you doing in this castle, Blondie?" the other girl questioned, cocking her head to the side at a drastic angle.

"I'm here to defeat your ruler," Lucy answered as she unhooked one of her golden keys. "And I don't have time to play with you. Open, Gate of the bull, Taurus!"

In a flash of golden light, Taurus appeared, already holding his ax in his hands. He let out a moo before lunging towards the other girl and swinging his weapon swiftly, though he was too slow as she jumped out the way, still grinning.

Flare laughed before releasing her hair from its braid and extending it towards the bull. Despite his larger size, Taurus dodged it and ran up to the girl, bringing the hilt of his ax into her gut and sending her reeling backwards.

"Thanks, Taurus!" Lucy exclaimed, sending him back through his gate in an attempt to conserve energy. She wasn't too experienced in fighting yet and knew she had to play smartly.

Flare coughed as she stood up, delivering the blonde a nasty glare. "Blondie…" She then extended her hair towards Lucy in the blink of an eye, grabbing her ankle and dragging her around in circles.

Lucy cried out in pain as her head banged onto the floor and the wall as Flare spun her in circles. She could hear Happy screaming for her to fight back but she couldn't. Soon enough, her head became numb and her eyes began to droop closed as everything turned black.

* * *

 **AN:** Aww, poor Lucy is getting wrecked. :') We'll see what happens with her next time! :D

 **Flire and Ice:** Hello! :D Allow me to explain! Their feelings for each other have been obvious to both of them! Erza confessed last time that she was a girl, to which Jellal said that he already knew from the start. So he had feelings knowing that she was a girl the whole time! And then they talked alone later that night in a secluded part of Magnolia and it was revealed that Jellal knew because he was in _that place_ with Erza, which hasn't been fully explained yet. Hope this helps and thanks for the review. :)

 **ThayetJade:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! :D But as of right now, Lucy is weak in the story haha. She has absolutely no experience when it comes to this stuff so I'm starting her off slow! But who knows what'll happen next chapter? ;D Also, Lucy does not know karate, that was just something she said in hopes of making Natsu and Happy leave haha! Thanks for reading! :)

Thank you to all of the reviewers: **Alexa60765, Amourshippingfan24, Hsdust, Soul Eater Maka, Flire and Ice, Avhaskake, MuffinMalonez, Nalulove, ThayetJade, IndianaCombs, Lunahartz, Anastasia.** You guys are awesome! :D


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** Hi everyone! I feel like it's been forever since I last updated even though I am right on schedule lol. So here's a QOTD: who is your fav FT character and why? :) Mine is Lucy because she's so strong but kind and forgiving and beautiful and just perfect in general lol. :')

* * *

Chapter 15

Step 3: Defeating Raven Tail

Natsu let out an impatient sound as he approached another dead end. He had been running through the castle, looking for an opponent to burn but wasn't having any luck. A wide, mischievous grin stretched over the boy's lips as he brought flames to his hands. With a loud cackle, the dragon slayer shot fireballs in every direction, tearing down whatever walls stood in his way.

Surely an enemy would hear and come running to him, and he would wait for them to show up. After waiting a few moments, Natsu realized that his plan didn't work.

"Where are you jerks!?" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Stop hiding and come fight me!"

A loud crash sounded from far away, prompting Natsu to stick his nose in the air and inhale deeply. His eyes widened as Lucy's vanilla scent filled his nose, but it was mixed with something else. Blood. Lucy was fighting, and from the smell of it, she wasn't winning.

Natsu recalled Erza and Jellal's orders of splitting up. He didn't exactly want to run all the way to Lucy anyways. It was her fight, she should deal with it. After all, that was the best way to gain experience and skill. Still, the boy let out a groan as he started running in the direction of Lucy's scent. He couldn't just let her get hurt.

As Natsu ran down the hallway, something burst through the wall on his right, sending him crashing into the opposite wall. Rubbing his head, the boy rose to his feet and saw a man standing above him, peering at him over what appeared to be a beak. The man had pale blue skin and beady eyes, making him look even more like a bird. He had blue hair similar to Jellal's, though it was long and tied up. His outfit was just as strange as the rest of him as he wore a large poncho and three bowties.

"Oh so _now_ you want to find me?" Natsu rhetorically and irately asked. "I was just about to go find Lucy and Happy when you finally showed up."

The strange man only looked at him, staying still and silent. Growling, Natsu ignited his fists and dashed towards the other mage. Just as he threw a punch, the bird-like man raised a hand. Natsu's flames died down, leaving his fist ordinary and not nearly as harmful, allowing the other man to simply grab it before it collided with his face.

"So you nullify magic, huh?" Natsu grinded out. He snatched his hand back and thrust it forward once again as he shouted, "Doesn't faze me! Just means I get to beat you to a pulp the old fashioned way!"

Natsu's fist made contact with the man's face, though it seemed it didn't affect him. In a brisk movement, the man kicked Natsu in the gut, sending him flying backwards into a nightstand and a lamp. The dragon slayer groaned as he stood up once again.

"You're a tough fellow," he stated. "But something tells me your fighting skills aren't as good when you're too busy nullifying my magic."

A vein in Natsu's forehead ticked as he realized the man was ignoring him again. Lunging towards the other mage, Natsu delivered a whirlwind of flaming punches and kicks, all being nullified. Though, it wasn't too much of a disadvantage because it left the man open to his physical attacks. And no matter how hard the man was, there had to come a point he would fall.

* * *

Lucy was splayed on the floor, her previously fair skin now purpled with bruises. Her head was pounding, driving her insane as she barely held onto her consciousness. She could hear Flare's endless laughter and petty insults along with Happy's worried cries, but she didn't pay them any mind. The truth was, her mind wasn't exactly thinking.

Part of Lucy wanted to stay on the floor. By the sound of Flare's heels clicking on the tiles, it was clear she was already leaving. If she stayed still, surely Flare would think she was dead and leave her be. However, as her mind came to grip reality, the blonde's fingers curled as she began forcing herself up.

The girl almost fell back down but kept pushing on until she was on shaky feet. Blood was dripping down her face like tears, but luckily her head was numb and she couldn't feel the pain. Hearing Happy's surprised gasp, Lucy slowly turned her head to find his fur burnt. He wasn't going to be able to fly any time soon.

"Lucy!" the cat exclaimed, gathering Flare's attention. "Run! Get out of here! You're hurt!"

Lucy ignored him as she faced her enemy, who was grinning back at her with her head cocked to the side.

"Blondie! You're awake!" Flare exclaimed.

"I guess so," Lucy replied, her voice hoarse and her throat dry. Her head was still pounding and she was dizzy. Even her legs felt as if they were going to give out on her. But she wasn't going to give up. Not when everyone else was fighting hard and depending on her. She was the savior.

Flare laughed maniacally before shooting her crimson locks of hair towards the blonde. Lucy fumbled for her keys, retrieving the one that was sure to be the most useful in her battle.

"Open, Gate of the crab, Cancer!" Lucy shouted just in time as Flare's hair was approaching her quickly.

Cancer appeared in a bright glow and wasted no time using his scissors to cut the hair. Lucy smiled, ignoring the pain she felt in her head as she did. Flare's eyes widened more, which was hard for Lucy to believe was possible, as she grabbed her hair in concern.

"My red hair," she mumbled. "You're going to pay for this, Blondie!"

Lucy simply smirked at the redhead, though it didn't last long as Flare shot her red locks into the tile floor. Suddenly, it sprang from the ground beside the blonde and wrapped around her ankle. Flare pulled her into the air and swung her in different directions, causing her head to ache even more.

Lucy's hope was diminishing fast, even more so as her keys dropped from her side and fell to the floor. Then she remembered her new weapon. Retrieving her whip, the girl lashed it towards the redhead, surprisingly wrapping around her ankle on the first shot. The two pulled at each other, causing them to twist and turn uncomfortably in midair. Unfortunately for Lucy, Flare's locks of red began to light on fire, burning her flesh.

Soon enough, the two girls were unable to thrash each other around any longer and they fell to the floor. Flare sat paralyzed on the floor as she watched Lucy rise to her feet. No matter what she did, the blonde just kept getting back up and the light in her eyes kept shining. She should've been stronger than her. In fact, she _was_ stronger than her. Magically, at least. Yet Lucy seemed to trump Flare in regards to spirit.

And it was starting to look like spirit was more important.

"Now, Cancer!" Lucy exclaimed.

Flare gasped as the crab spirit was suddenly behind her, holding his scissors menacingly above her red hair. In two swift motions, Cancer chopped off the girl's hair from the roots. Flare cried in agony as she tried to regrow her hair as fast as she could, but Lucy was faster.

Lucy let out a war cry as she dashed towards the redhead and raised a foot in the air.

"LUCY KICK!" she cried, her foot making direct contact with Flare's face and effectively knocking her out cold.

"Lucy, that was great!" Happy exclaimed with a wide grin.

The said girl turned her head to smile at the cat while Cancer went back through his gate. Then the blonde fell to the floor, officially out of energy and suffering from her injuries. Though she beat Flare, she definitely was not in good condition to do anything else. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to leave the castle alive considering Happy couldn't fly her away.

Still, Lucy's lips curled into a small smile as she thought, " _I beat her. I'm not useless or weak. I beat her."_

And with that, the girl let her eyes droop closed once again.

* * *

Erza walked calmly through the halls of Ivan's castle. She knew not to get ahead of herself. Walking helped keep her nerves calm, not to mention let her pass through quietly. All the girl had to do was find Ivan and put an end to him. After that, she would be able to convince the King that women were just as capable as men to fight and would receive a pardon for her crimes. Then she could live happily ever after with Jellal by her side.

Erza stopped and listened. Then she turned on her heel with a harsh glare plastered to her face. In front of her stood a man adorned in golden armor and a black cape rimmed with gray feathers. He removed his helmet, revealing his tanned skin, dark hair, and thick beard, along with a smug grin.

"And who might you be?" the man asked, his smirk growing. "I must applaud you for getting into my castle. Most don't make it up the stairs of the mountain, and the ones that do don't make it inside."

"So you're Ivan," Erza stated, disguising her voice to sound like a man. "You look nothing like the King."

"I'm much more handsome, right?" Ivan asked. "Enough about me, let's talk about you. Who are you?"

"My name is Ping. I am a mage under King Dreyar, your son."

Ivan smirked and walked closer to the redhead. "Ahh, so Laxus sent you here, huh?"

"No," Erza answered. "I am here on my own accord. I am going to defeat you."

"What makes you think you can?" the man questioned, his boisterous laughter filling the halls. "If my old man, the previous king, couldn't, you have no chance."

"He could have easily beaten you if it weren't for the fact you are his son. His heart wavered and you ran away like the coward you are. You are not strong, you are manipulative."

Ivan's brows furrowed as the corners of his lips tugged downwards into an agitated frown. His cocky attitude was now gone. Erza must have hit a nerve.

"I am stronger than that old geezer," the man stated, his voice dark. "And now I've got an army of my own. But tell me, if Laxus or Makarov didn't order you to come here, why did you?"

"I need to defeat you in order to bring peace to Magnolia," Erza answered.

Ivan smirked and shook his head. "That's not it. You're here for more, aren't you?"

Erza glared at the man and retrieved her sword. Talking wasn't going to get them anywhere. The faster she defeated Ivan, the faster she would be able to have her happy ending. The girl lunged towards Ivan and swung the sword she stole from her grandfather. Ivan didn't bother dodging and instead let the weapon clash against his golden armor. The sword didn't even cut through.

"How pathetic," Ivan jibed. "If you can't even cut through my armor, there is no way for you to defeat me."

Erza's glare deepened as she pushed her sword harder against Ivan's armor. Soon enough, a small crack was made, causing Ivan's eyes to widen as he jumped away.

"You would be foolish to underestimate me," the redhead advised.

"And you would be foolish to overestimate yourself."

* * *

Natsu let out a frustrated huff as he delivered another punch to his opponent's face. Even though he put all of his strength behind it, the man looked unaffected. His face was scorched yet he never let out any pained cries or even fell to the floor.

"This is getting real annoying," the pinkette complained. "I don't know what it is you're made of, but it's some tough material."

Natsu lunged for the man once again, attempting to deliver more blows, to which the man dodged narrowly each time. Though, he couldn't dodge and nullify at the same time, which the dragon slayer took to his advantage. Catching his opponent off guard, Natsu ignited his arms in flames and swiped them in a circular motion.

"Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!" he shouted as his scalding fire engulfed the man before he could nullify it.

Natsu grinned at his work and began to walk away when he heard something move behind him. Turning around, the boy was more than surprised to find his enemy still able to move. The bird-like man was no longer blue and was instead black after being scorched.

"What the hell?" Natsu asked. He was beginning to think he would never win. The guy was invincible. That is, until he saw a bit of the man's head literally chipped away, revealing a hollow core. The pinkette's words from before rang in his mind.

" _I don't know what it is you're made of, but it's some tough material."_

Natsu studied his opponent as more of his skin chipped away. " _That's it! He actually is made of something! He's not a person, he's a puppet!"_

With all the answers he needed, Natsu lunged towards the man, who was still recovering from his previous blow. He grabbed onto the man's neck and began ripping his head off. Sure enough, his insides were empty, save for a small creature. It was brown in color and had a dark poncho on just like his puppet while leaves were wrapped around its head. On its face was a mischievous grin.

Natsu reached inside the puppet and pulled out the creature before it could run away. It squirmed in his hold until Natsu lit his hand on fire, in turn scorching the creature until it was unconscious. Tossing it to the side, the dragon slayer smirked and ran off to find his friends.

He followed Lucy's scent down the wide halls until he found Happy nudging an unconscious Lucy. There were drops of blood scattered everywhere while a small pool of it surrounded Lucy. When Natsu saw that it was coming from the girl's head, he rushed over to the two and took her into his arms.

"What happened?" he asked Happy.

The cat wiped away his tears and answered, "She was fighting against that girl over there! She grabbed Lucy with her hair and spun her around, making her hit the walls! Her head is hurt!"

"I know. Don't worry, Happy. She's going to be okay. It just looks like there's a lot of blood," Natsu replied, letting Happy cry on him. He then looked to where the other girl was knocked out. "Lucy won?"

Happy smiled and nodded. "Yep! At first she was losing but then she won!"

"I knew she could do it. Looks like you two make a good team."

"I didn't do anything, she did."

"What's wrong with your fur?"

"Flare wrapped me in her hair and set me on fire after I tried to help Lucy. I had to stop, drop, and roll."

"I'm proud of you two," Natsu stated, smiling at his companion. "You guys fought and won. Now Erza can have her happy ending. All we have to do is wait for Lucy to wake up."

Thus, the pinkette let Lucy's head rest on his lap while the three of them got some much needed rest.

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like Ivan's pawns are almost defeated, leaving just Ivan himself! :D I forgot how short this arc was. And see, I would never let my favorite character be too weak. :')

 **Nalulove:** AHHH HAHA THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW I JUST WENT AND FIXED IT!

 **Avhaskake:** I actually don't change the outfits for anyone! All of the outfits I use are outfits from the anime. So I don't change the enemies' outfits! :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **MuffinMalonez, Flire and Ice, TheDigitalDork, Lunahartz, ThayetJade, CelestialLunaPanda-Senpai, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, IndianaCombs, Avhaskake.** You guys are super awesome! :D


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** I think writing Erza's battle scenes are the hardest because she has so much armor to choose from lol. This story definitely has the most fighting than the rest of my stories which is a challenge but I'm looking to improve. :') So make sure to tell me how I'm doing! Be completely honest! :)

And I really liked reading all of your answers to the last QOTD! I love seeing different opinions! So here's another QOTD: What is your fav arc from FT? :) I have so many but I think mine would have to be the Phantom Lord arc because it finally revealed things with Lucy's parents and it gave us Gajeel and I love him lol.

Btw, if you read War, I will be updating that later today!

* * *

Chapter 16

Step Four: Taking Down Ivan

Jellal sighed as he dodged yet another one of Kurohebi's attacks. Though Kurohebi was fast, Jellal was faster. The boy had been trying to convince him to leave Ivan's forces and each time Kurohebi would refuse. Losing both time and patience, the blunette cloaked his body with Heavenly Body Magic.

"Meteor!" Jellal shouted as he assaulted Kurohebi with powerful blows, rendering him unconscious.

Once the light around him died down, Jellal briskly walked through the castle and towards the sounds of a battle taking place, presumably Erza's. While walking, the man met up with Simon and Sho, both battered but in decent shape.

"How do you think nee-san is doing?" Sho questioned worriedly.

"She's doing fine," Jellal answered, though he was a bit uneasy as well.

"But she's going against Ivan by herself! Nee-san is strong, but is she really that strong?"

"It is true that I don't think she will be able to defeat Ivan on her own. That is why we are going to help her. We _will_ beat him. We have even more people on our side."

"You mean Natsu and Lucy?" Simon questioned. "No offense to her, but Lucy is inexperienced with fighting and magic. I don't think she'll be too helpful against Ivan. If anything, she'll get hurt for nothing."

Jellal smiled and shook his head. "She is new to fighting, that is true. But she already possesses great celestial strength. She was able to close a spirit's gate on her own. That takes a lot of control."

"How is that going to help us against Ivan?"

"It doesn't. But it is still a remarkable skill. And I sense that she won her battle, despite being unexperienced. Trust me, if you knew her history, you would know that she learns fast. It runs in her family."

Simon and Sho shared a puzzled look but decided not to question their General. Instead, they kept walking, hoping to run into Erza soon.

* * *

Lucy winced as an ache pounded in her head. Her chocolate brown eyes slowly fluttered open as she tried to sit up, quickly failing and needing to rest her head once again. The girl gasped at the sight of bruises covering her skin. Her pillow was the only thing that comforted her head.

" _Wait, pillow?"_

"So you're finally awake?"

The blonde quickly sat up, wincing and grabbing her head as she did. Turning her head, she found Natsu sitting cross legged on the floor behind her. The _pillow_ was actually his thigh. Lucy's cheeks flushed pink as she scurried away from him.

"What were you doing, pervert!?" Lucy screeched.

Natsu groaned in annoyance and shot back, "I ain't a pervert! You were all beaten up so I was lettin' you rest! Next time I'll just leave your head on the uncomfortable floor!"

"You should have!"

"I will next time!"

"Good!"

"They liiiike each other," Happy teased, stifling his snickers behind his paws.

"WE DO NOT!" the two screeched in unison.

Lucy crossed her arms and averted her gaze. Her heart pounded beneath her ribs at the mere suggestion of having feelings for the grouchy dragon slayer. It was absurd and she knew that, but she had never been teased regarding a boy.

"Let's go already," Natsu said, standing to his feet. He held a hand out to Lucy, helping her to her feet. "We gotta go."

"Go where?" the blonde questioned as the ground shook below her feet.

"You feel that, don't you? They're fighting."

"They?"

"Erza and Ivan. They've been fighting for a while. They'll probably end up destroying the castle."

Happy chuckled and replied, "Erza seems more destructive than you, Natsu!"

"I don't know if I should go," Lucy stated with a frown. "My head stopped bleeding but it still hurts. I'm not even sure if I can walk."

"You don't have to," Natsu replied, grinning at the girl. "I'll carry you and you can just summon a spirit when we get there. Just make sure to stay seated."

Lucy nodded as Natsu crouched in front of her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, the blonde allowed the dragon slayer to carry her down the wide halls of the castle.

During their walk, they found Jellal, Simon, and Sho seemingly doing the same thing they were.

"Lucy, are you alright?" Jellal questioned.

The blonde nodded and answered, "I will be. For now, let's just focus on Erza."

"She's just up ahead, I can feel it. Let's go!"

With that, the group picked up the pace until they found Erza and Ivan, the former in black, chipped armor and panting on the floor. She was angry, clearly not winning the battle, though Ivan was clearly a bit banged up as well. What was surprising was that her scarlet hair was no longer in its bun and instead fell gracefully.

"You should really consider my deal, woman," Ivan stated with a wicked grin.

"Deal?" Jellal questioned. "What is he talking about, Erza?"

Erza clenched her hands into tight fists.

 _Erza requipped into her Black Wing Armor. It was as the name suggested, black and giving her demon-like wings. She used it to fly towards Ivan in the speed of light and slash through his armor, which her grandfather's sword was unable to do easily._

 _Ivan looked shocked as he jumped back, but quickly recovered with his disgusting grin. No longer being able to rely on his sword, which was nowhere near as powerful as Erza's, the man began to use magic. He summoned little paper dolls and created a wild tornado, sending it headed towards the redhead._

 _It engulfed Erza, scratching her armor and chipping at it. With a strong flap of her wings, however, she blew the paper away._

 _"Moon Flash!" she shouted, rushing past Ivan and slashing his chest in a cross-like pattern._

 _Ivan let out a pained groan as he jumped away and held his hand to his chest. Blood dripped from the wound, but he laughed._

 _"You're an exceptional warrior!" he exclaimed. "Much stronger than the rest of my soldiers!"_

 _Erza stayed silent until she felt the tie holding her hair together cut by one of his paper dolls, causing her hair to fall and revealing her secret. Though, Ivan was clearly not surprised, so perhaps it wasn't a secret like she thought._

 _"I knew you were a woman," Ivan stated. "I'm also aware that my son doesn't allow women to fight, meaning that you're sneaking around."_

 _"Shut it," Erza hissed._

 _"I don't know why you are sneaking around, but what if I could offer you to fight under me? You wouldn't have to hide your identity. You could be yourself and control a troop of soldiers!"_

 _The redhead's eyes widened. "W-What?"_

 _"You are too strong to be fighting under my son. Fight for me instead. You want to prove your worth, right? How can you do that pretending to be a man? Prove your worth with me!"_

 _"Never," Erza replied, her hands tightening on the hilt of her sword. "I would rather die as Ping instead of work for a vile human being like you."_

"He wants me to work for him," Erza finally answered. "Don't worry, I refused."

"Doesn't matter now," Natsu stated, gently placing Lucy on the floor. "We're here now so let's just beat him and go."

Ivan released an obnoxious laugh. "It doesn't matter how many of you there are. You could never hope to defeat me!"

"You're wrong," Erza replied. "Let's end this!"

Ivan smirked and pointed at Sho. With a snap of his fingers, the boy turned into a paper doll.

"Are you willing to cut down your friend to beat me?" Ivan questioned, forcing Sho to fly towards them and attack.

Erza glowered at the man and lunged for him again. "Release him!"

"The only way to return him to normal is to either kill me or kill him! Can you do that, Titania?"

Ivan was too distracted taunting Erza that he failed to notice Natsu's breath of fire until it engulfed him, melting all of his golden armor away and making it much easier to injure him.

"Damn brat," Ivan muttered.

"He can't stop us all!" Erza shouted. "Give him all you got!"

Lucy nodded and pulled out a golden key, Virgo's. "Open, Gate of the maiden, Virgo!"

The maid spirit arrived in a glow and asked, "Is it time for punishment?'

"No, it's time to beat some guy up! Do you think you can attack that guy over there?"

"I suppose I could try."

Natsu lunged towards Ivan with flaming fists, which were shielded by paper dolls. He didn't stop though, knowing that while he did this he gave his friends an opening. Soon enough, Jellal came up behind Ivan using Meteor and sent him flying towards Erza, who slashed the man's arm.

Ivan growled and was about to attack, only to find himself falling in a hole, courtesy of Virgo. Simon took this to his advantage and punched Ivan directly in the face. Ivan cursed under his breath and created another torrent of paper dolls. He kept doing this, causing the others to jump out of the way and leaving them on the defensive. That is, until Lucy wrapped her whip around the man's wrists and stopping him.

Erza grinned and requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. While Ivan was still subdued by Lucy's whip, the girl flew towards their enemy, shouting, "Blumenblatt!" An array of swords appeared as she charged Ivan and slashed him with her sword while the others she quipped attacked him at the same time.

Ivan fell to the floor, his eyes closed as he was covered in blood. They did it. They defeated Ivan.

"We beat him," Lucy breathed out, surprised that they were able to do it.

"Thanks to our teamwork," Erza replied with a small smile. "You did well, Lucy."

The blonde smiled while Natsu helped her to her feet.

"If we beat Ivan," Jellal began, "why hasn't Sho turned back to normal?"

"That's because you haven't beaten me!" Ivan suddenly shouted. His eyes were wide and bloodshot. He looked like an absolute madman as he panted, blood dripping from various wounds. "If I die, I'm taking you with me, woman! You'll never get your happy ending! Shikigami Dark Bomb!"

A bunch of paper dolls clustered together and flew towards Erza, who was too slow to move out of the way.

"Erza!" Jellal shouted, trying to push her out of the way. He could tell by Ivan's magical power that his attack was too powerful.

"Dodge it!" Natsu yelled.

Erza stared at the paper flying towards her in the speed of light. Closing her eyes, the girl accepted her fate. She was going to die.

Or so she thought.

The redhead was shocked to feel a firm grip on her wrist as she was thrown back. She opened her eyes to find Simon take the brunt of the attack. He was engulfed by the paper dolls.

"Simon!" Erza cried. She grabbed her sword and slashed at the paper dolls but it was futile, they were too strong, stronger than his previous dolls.

Jellal rushed towards the redhead and pulled her away, feeling the magical energy bubbling up. It was going to blow up.

"Let me go, Jellal!" the redhead demanded through her tears. "I have to save him!"

"It's too late!" the blunette replied. He too was crying.

And just as he said, a huge explosion erupted from the dolls.

"SIMON!" Erza cried out, falling to her knees.

Once the smoke and dark energy cleared away, they watched as Simon's body was revealed. It was tattered and bloody, deep scratches covering his body. The boy turned his head to smile at Erza before falling to the floor.

"Simon, no!" Erza shouted, rushing over to her friend's side. She grabbed his head carefully, her tears falling onto her comrade's face. "Stay with me, Simon! We're getting our happy endings, you have to stay alive! D-Don't die on me!"

"It's too late, Erza," the man replied, his voice hoarse. He limply lifted his hand and ran his fingers through the girl's hair. "I'm glad I was able to grow with you."

"G-Grow with me?" the redhead repeated through her sobs.

"Jellal will tell you later. For now, let me see you smile."

"How can I smile when you're… When you're dying?"

"Please, Erza," Simon insisted. "Your smile is all I wanted to see."

The redhead nodded and feigned a smile, her lips quivering through her tears. "Please don't die, Simon…"

"Don't worry, Erza. You have people to take care of you. You're getting your happy ending."

"My happy ending is going back with all of you!"

"You'll find your happiness again, I promise. Thank you for all you've done for me."

And with that said, Simon's eyes drooped closed as he took his last breath. Lucy gasped and cried onto Natsu's chest. She had never experienced witnessing somebody dying before and she thought they were all making it back. Natsu hugged both the blonde and Happy, allowing them to cry on him. Sho returned back to normal and began wailing for his lost friend. Jellal covered his eyes with his arm and cried silently.

Meanwhile, Erza laid her head on Simon's chest and filled the castle with her endless sobs. The worst part of Simon's death was that he died protecting her. She believed it was her fault. And she could feel something pricking her mind. She knew Simon from before, when her memories were erased, that was clear now. Yet she couldn't remember.

"Erza, we have to go," Natsu stated. "Lucy needs to see a doctor and you need to report to the King."

"N-Natsu's right," Jellal stammered, his voice shaky. "More enemies could come."

Erza reluctantly nodded and rose to her feet while carrying Simon. Jellal checked Ivan's heartbeat, seeing that he was dead before he helped Erza and with that, the group left the castle. They traveled back down the mountain and through the forest. During their entire journey, nobody said a word and never let go of Simon's body. They were going to give him a proper burial.

Despite their victory with Ivan, it sure as hell felt like a loss, and Erza was beginning to think that a happy ending was impossible.

* * *

 **AN:** Ahh I'm so insecure about that battle. I feel like it was a bit rushed. I think Lucy's and Natsu's battles were better. I was actually proud of Natsu's battle lol. And poor Simon. :') But it had to be done lmao.

 **ThayetJade:** Hello! :D In regards to your question about Lucy's progress, it's honestly tough to answer lol! I think that it's slow and steady but there is definitely a part where it boosts haha! But for the most part, it's slow and steady like the anime! :D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **Flire and Ice, TheDigitalDork, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Muffin Malonez, Elena Parker, Hsdust, IndianaCombs, Guest, ThayetJade, Amourshippingfan24.** You guys make writng this story even more fun. :')


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** This is it for the Mulan arc. :') Definitely isn't one of the longest arcs in this story despite it being my favorite Disney movie. Oh well, onto more! :D QOTD: I already asked your fav arc, so lets do least fav arc! :D Mine would have to be the Edolas arc lol. Unless the Daphne arc is considered a real arc. I just think Edolas was a bit too long and eh. :)

* * *

Chapter 17

Leaving Magnolia

Lucy frowned solemnly as she laid a magnolia flower over Simon's grave. After their battle at Ivan's castle, Natsu forced her to get looked at by a doctor. Fortunately, the girl didn't need stitches or anything of the sort, but she was banned from direct fighting for a few days. Other than that, she would be fine.

Lucy walked back and stood by Natsu and Happy as Erza placed her flower over Simon's grave. According to Natsu, the redhead immediately began digging her friend's grave the moment they arrived in Magnolia.

"Simon was one of the bravest men I knew," Erza stated, her eyes watering once again. "He was kind and loyal and one of the best soldiers. But more importantly than that, he was an excellent friend. S-Simon will be missed. Rest in peace, Simon."

And with that, the group hung their heads as they gave silent prayers to their deceased friend. They stood there for hours, mourning their loss until Jellal spoke.

"We should travel to the castle now," he announced, his voice low and strained. "We need to report to King Dreyar."

Erza silently nodded and led the way to one of the magic mobiles under their possession. Natsu stepped inside willingly, not thinking it would be appropriate to complain at that time. So, he succumbed to his sickness until Lucy pulled his head into her lap and ran her fingers through his hair. It didn't completely cure his sickness, but it helped tremendously.

In less than a half hour with Jellal's driving, they approached the castle. Lucy's jaw dropped as she stared at it. It was a castle she could imagine in fairytales, unlike Ivan's bleak castle. Five thick, round towers were built for defense and were connected by walls of grey stone. Tall windows were scattered around the castle, though viewing was blocked by curtains. With a churning stomach, she followed the others into the castle.

"We need to see the King," Jellal told one of the guards. "We have drastic information considering Ivan."

"Right this way," the guard replied, escorting the group.

Lucy stuck close to Natsu as they walked through the grand halls. The guard knocked twice before opening the door, revealing a huge throne room where a bulky man with blonde spiky hair was sitting, a crown resting on his head. A scar ran down his eye and he admittedly looked grumpy.

Next to him was a small, old man with a balding head, most of his white hair coming out of the side of his head. Over his lips was a bushy mustache, white in color as well.

"Jellal," the King greeted. His voice was deep, matching his appearance. "What are you here for? And who are these people?"

Jellal bowed and the rest followed his example.

"These are our new comrades. We came to talk to you about Ivan," the blunette informed the King. "We defeated him."

The two's eyes widened.

"You defeated Ivan?" the old man questioned.

"Yes. He is now dead."

"Wait a second," King Dreyar began, eyeing the group. " _All_ of you fought against my old man? Including the women?"

Jellal frowned and nodded. "Yes. Without their help, it wouldn't have been possible. This woman here is Erza Scarlet. She is the one who defeated Ivan."

"Women are not allowed to fight," the King stated, his voice threatening. "You're telling me you committed a crime? There is a reason that rule exists. It is because women cannot handle it."

Erza stayed silent, her gaze glued to the floor as a frown stayed plastered to her face. Usually she would beat the living daylights out of someone that said such things about women, but not only was the man King, she was also too sad and exhausted to deal with it.

Lucy glared at the fellow blonde. She was never one to listen about how women are weaker than men. The girl stepped forward, glaring at the King.

"Thanks to this woman," she began, "the man that you couldn't defeat is now dead. Maybe you shouldn't talk about how women are inferior."

The King arched a brow and studied the ballsy girl in front of him. "And who are you, woman?"

"Wait a second," the older man began. He stared at Lucy with wide eyes before smiling at her. "Laxus, hear the girl out."

Lucy nodded gratefully towards the old man before addressing Laxus. "My name is Lucy Ashley. I am the savior. To break the curse, I need to fix the endings to all of the stories in this book." The blonde pulled out the book from Happy's knapsack.

"The savior?" Laxus repeated. "You mean the one to break King Heartfilia's curse?"

"Yes. The first step to doing that was helping Erza escape her punishment from your ridiculous law."

"You dare call my law ridiculous, woman?"

"I do. Women aren't weak, dainty creatures. If it weren't for a woman, you wouldn't even exist! Back in my world, women fight with all they have alongside men! That is how it should be here!"

"Well it isn't," the King replied, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "And your friend needs to be punished."

"I won't let you punish her," Lucy shot back.

"You don't have a choice!" Laxus shouted, rising from his throne.

"Laxus!" the old man scolded. "What she says is true. She is the savior and can grant our happy endings, _including_ yours. As the former king, I refuse to let you keep this tantrum up!"

"Why did you even make this rule in the first place?" Lucy questioned irately.

Laxus glared at the girl and answered, "Because one of the strongest girls I knew went against Ivan and never returned."

"So you outlaw any girl from fighting? That's ridiculous!"

Laxus eyed the defiant girl before demanding, "Show me the book."

"Huh?"

"Show me the book now unless you want me to order your friend's execution."

Lucy muttered under her breath before approaching the King and handing him the book. She watched as his eyes flipped through the book until he stopped on a page she couldn't see. His eyes widened and she could've sworn the corners of his lips twitched into a miniscule smile.

Laxus closed the book and handed it back to Lucy.

"Alright," he said. "If you're really the savior like the old man says, then I'll allow you to continue and pardon Erza."

The redhead's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting the King to pardon her crimes so easily.

"That's not all," Lucy replied.

Laxus sighed and stated, "Fine. I will remove the law banning women from fighting. However, if I do, you must agree to fix _every_ story in that book."

Lucy smiled and nodded. "I was planning on doing that anyways!"

Laxus huffed in reply before ordering them to leave. The group thanked them and went on their ways.

"You realize who that girl was, correct?" the old man questioned his grandson.

Laxus nodded. "You made me read a whole bunch about Fiore's history. She's the spitting image of the Queen."

The old man smiled and mused, "It looks like she's going to take back her throne."

* * *

Meanwhile, the group of heroes traveled back to the magic mobile and then the inn. They sat in the trio's room, their hearts just a bit lighter after what happened. At least now Simon's death wasn't in vain.

Erza smiled at the three of their newest comrades and said, "Thank you for all of your help. If it wasn't for you, I would be dead right now and Ivan's terror would still reign."

"Don't mention it," Lucy replied, hugging the redhead. "Do you know what you're going to do next?"

"Even though Ivan is gone, there are still more criminals that need to be stopped," Erza replied. "I'm going to stay with Jellal and Sho and stop them. What about you?"

"We're going to continue finding the characters in this book and help them. Though, I think we'll stay here one more night to rest."

"That would be wise. Thank you again, Lucy. To show you my thanks, I have something to give you," Erza said as she fished in her pocket and pulled out a golden key. At the top of the key was an arrow, no doubt meaning it belonged to Sagittarius. "Take this."

Lucy's eyes widened as she studied the key. "I-I could never accept something so important!"

The redhead smiled and insisted, "I'm not a celestial mage, I can't use it anyways. It would be much better in your care. You can use the spirit to help you with the rest of the stories."

The blonde smiled and nodded, accepting the golden key. With that, Erza and the others said their goodbyes for the night after they agreed to meet up in the morning to give their final goodbye. Lucy frowned after they left and sat on the bed, clenching her skirt tightly.

Happy noticed the girl's changed behavior and questioned, "What's wrong, Lucy?"

"I-I was just thinking about Simon," the girl answered, tears welling in her eyes. "It was my fault."

"How was it your fault?"

"Because I made that plan! If it wasn't for my plan, he would still be alive!"

Natsu stepped in front of her and ordered, "Stop. Simon's death wasn't your fault. You didn't kill him, Ivan did. And Simon chose to sacrifice himself to save Erza. If given the chance, he would've done it again because he cared about her."

Lucy smiled gratefully at the boy and nodded. Though he could be a grouch at times, he sure knew what to say to make her feel better.

* * *

Later that night, Erza sat on the grassy hill and gazed at the stars. She heard footsteps approach her and knew it was Jellal. Sure enough, the blunette sat beside her and craned his neck towards the sky as well.

"It wasn't your fault," he told her.

Erza wasn't surprised he knew what she was upset about. He seemed to always know what she was feeling.

"Oh but it was," the redhead replied, tears welling in her eyes once again. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "It was all because I wasn't fast enough."

"You know that isn't true. Instead of blaming ourselves, we need to focus on the good Simon brought into the world. All he wanted was your happiness. We need to give him that."

"I don't think I could be happy after witnessing my friend's death."

Jellal nodded and replied, "It will take some time, yes. But to fulfill Simon's final wish, we have to move on. That's what he would've wanted."

Erza sniffled and nodded. She then allowed herself to lean onto Jellal's side, finding comfort in his warmth.

"We were close before, weren't we? Back in the cell," Erza questioned.

Jellal nodded and answered, "Yes. You and Simon were close. We all were."

The redhead faced the man and pleaded, "I want to remember. You said that you would help me get my memories back after the fight. If there are happy memories I had with Simon, I want to remember."

Jellal hesitantly nodded, and with rosy cheeks, he leaned towards Erza, whose eyes widened at the realization of what he was doing. Under the starlight, their lips met softly and something bubbled inside of Erza. Something that wasn't the butterflies or warmth of their kiss.

Erza gasped and pulled away from the kiss as memories filled her mind.

 _Erza, being eight at the time, cried and screamed as strange men took her from her home village and dragged her to an institution, using her as their slave. There were plenty of others there, just like her. All of them were being tortured and were suffering._

 _After being thrown in a cell, Erza continued to cry, not noticing the other people in her cell until a soft hand landed on her shoulder in comfort. The child looked up and blinked back tears to find a boy with blue hair smiling at her._

 _"Don't cry," he told her. "My name is Jellal Fernandes. What's your name?"_

 _"Erza," the girl answered._

 _"What's your last name?"_

 _"I-I don't have one."_

 _The boy frowned and studied her. His eyes lit up at the sight of her hair. "Your last name will be Scarlet, for your hair."_

 _"Erza… Scarlet…" the child tested out. Then she smiled brightly. It sounded so well._

 _"Our names are all they can't take from us. It's important to have one," Jellal told her with a comforting smile._

 _After that, Erza met the others in her cell. There was Wally, a blocky and enthusiastic boy. And Sho, the youngest of the group and most sensitive. Then there was Millianna, a girl with a love for cats and a bright smile. There was also an old man, Grandpa Rob, who treated them all with kindness and became their grandfather figure. And then there was Simon, who always treated her with kindness and always looked out for her wellbeing._

 _A year went on in the institution and they all became close, getting by without any drastic injuries until they were caught trying to sneak out. Erza then began a revolution, leading the group to victory, though it wasn't without any casualties. Many people died, and the sight of spilled blood swirled something inside of her. Magic._

 _Eventually, everyone from the cell went their own ways, except for Erza and Grandpa Rob, who lived together back in Rosemary. The old man then erased most of her memories to relieve the girl from her night terrors._

"I-I remember," Erza breathed out. "W-We were all friends."

"We were," Jellal replied with a smile, glad that the girl finally remembered.

"How did you bring my memory back with a kiss?" the redhead questioned, blushing afterwards.

"Love is the strongest magic known to man," the blunette explained. "True love's kiss reverses most things."

"I-I see. What happened to Wally?"

"He and his brother are travelling the world together. Last time I heard from Millianna, she was travelling the world with some new friends. She's happy."

"W-Why did you all leave?"

Jellal sighed and answered, "You were having terrible night terrors. Grandpa Rob said that to help you, he needed to erase most of your experiences at the institution, meaning we couldn't hang around you. Besides, I wanted to join the army so that I could prevent something like that happening to anyone else ever again. Simon and Sho joined me."

"And you three recognized me the moment I joined?" Erza questioned.

"Yes. We were waiting for you to confess."

Erza chuckled softly and stated, "I can imagine how frustrating it must have been to wait so long."

Jellal laughed as well and replied, "It was sometimes. After all, it's difficult being around the woman you love and not being able to act on your feelings."

"Jellal-"

"Don't worry," the blunette interrupted, giving her an understanding smile. "I know you need time after everything that happened. And I'm willing to wait."

Erza smiled and nodded at the boy. With that said, they returned their gazes to the stars, both believing that Simon was watching over them.

* * *

At the outskirts of Magnolia, Lucy frowned the next day as she hugged Erza. After everything that happened, the blonde could easily call them her friends and she was reluctant to part with them, especially after they lost Simon.

"Don't worry about us, Lucy," Erza stated with a smile. "We'll be fine. You have a mission to do and I need to go to Rosemary to see my grandfather to tell him the good news."

"I know but you're my friends now," the blonde replied sadly.

Erza chuckled and replied, "That is true. Tell you what, if you ever need help with your mission, feel free to tell us and we'll come to you as fast as we can. And you're always free to visit as well."

Lucy smiled and nodded. "That sounds nice."

Jellal shook the blonde's hand and said, "Be careful, you three. And Lucy, I recommend you read up on Fiore's history. It could help you on your mission and you might be surprised with what you find."

"I guess I could do that if we have time."

"We should get going, Lucy," Natsu said. The pinkette then grinned mischievously at Erza. "Next time I find myself in Magnolia, I wanna fight you."

Erza smirked and replied, "Alright, but do know that I won't hold back."

"I wouldn't want you to anyways!"

After one more round of tight hugs and handshakes, the trio waved goodbye to their newest friends before traveling down the stone path and officially out of Magnolia. Their first official story now had a happy ending.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm actually happy with how this arc ended haha! :) Everyone was upset with Simon's death lol. And can you guys guess what the next story is? ;D Probably not since I haven't given any hints in the story haha but I would still like to see some guesses! :D And quick question, is it fairytale or fairy tale? When I spell it as fairy tale on Microsoft Word it underlines it with blue and suggests I change it to fairytale but I never see anyone else spell it that way. :')

As always, thank you so much to the reviewers: **snowfairy65, TheDigitalDork, Guest, Hsdust, SunsetFairyMe , Lunahartz, ThayetJade, Leahcar-Soutaichou, Soul Eater Maka, IndianaCombs, Alexa60765, Nalulove.** You guys are super awesome! :D


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** This is a super important chapter I can't wait for you guys to read haha. :') Btw, I will be changing the rating of this story from T to M. I _might_ write smut but I'm not sure lmao so it's a just in case. Hope that's not a problem. :')

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Chapter 18

Campfire Stories

Lucy groaned in frustration as another plant brushed against her bare leg, causing it to itch. The girl had been travelling with her partners all day through the thick woods. She was beginning to hate the color green with how much of it she was seeing. The only thing that made the journey somewhat bearable were the comfortable shoes Erza lent her. They were way better to travel in than her heels.

"Can we take a break?" Lucy whined. "I'm tired and hungry and we've been travelling all day!"

"Don't we need to save someone?" Natsu questioned, annoyed with the blonde's constant complaining.

"We have time! Look, it's dark and I'm exhausted. Let's set up camp for the night."

"No, we keep going."

Lucy crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks in a pout. Plopping herself on the ground, she stated, "I'm staying here for tonight! I need to rest!"

Natsu's eyebrow twitched in frustration as he shrugged and kept walking. "Feel free to freeze to death or be eaten by a pack of wolves!" The boy figured she would follow, but to his upmost annoyance, she stayed planted to the ground defiantly. "You're so stubborn!"

"Am not!" Lucy argued. "You're the stubborn one!"

"Oh please! You can't even admit to being stubborn!"

"Neither can you!"

"They liiiike each other," Happy teased again, dragging out the word.

"WE DO NOT!" the two shot back with rosy cheeks. They wondered if this was going to happen every time they argued.

Natsu sighed in defeat as he plopped beside Lucy and made them a campfire. They didn't exactly have blankets- well, Lucy did- or sleeping bags, but his fire should hopefully be enough for the night. Lucy sighed in relief as she scooted towards the heat, letting it warm her body.

"Your magic sure is reliable," the blonde complimented. "You're like a human heater!"

Natsu scoffed and sarcastically replied, "Thanks, because that's exactly what I wanna be."

"Oh don't be such a grouch," Lucy replied as Happy settled himself in her lap. "This is the perfect time to get to know each other!"

"Why would we need to do that?"

"Because I'd like to know who I'm travelling with. All I know about you is that you're a thief that's searching for a dragon named Igneel. There's more to you than that."

"Nah, not really," Natsu replied. He knew this conversation was steering to the danger zone. If he was to tell Lucy about himself and learn more about her, he would begin growing attached like Happy. Truthfully, he already felt himself growing attached and needed to put a stop to it.

"C'mon, Natsu!" Happy exclaimed with an eager smile. "It'll be fun!"

"Why don't you start, Happy?" Lucy suggested. "I know less about you than I do Natsu!"

"Okay! My name is Happy and I like fish!"

Lucy giggled and replied, "There's more than that!"

Happy put a paw to his chin in thought and continued, "I'm an exceed! I come from a place called Edolas, but somehow I ended up here. I was hatched in an egg and that was how I met Natsu! He was taking care of me!"

"Aww, how sweet! Go on!"

"My favorite color is green and… Wow that's it I guess! I can't think of anything else!"

Lucy fished in Happy's knapsack for her blanket and threw it over the two. She invited Natsu to come underneath it as well, but he refused. Putting her hands by the fire, the blonde figured it was her turn.

"I'm actually just a waitress back in my world," she informed them with a sad smile. "I'm no hero or anything, just a girl working for tips. I write on the side and I've been trying to get published but I can't seem to do so."

"Why not?" Happy questioned.

"I guess my stories just aren't good enough. Anyways, I love pasta and my favorite color is pink! I'm twenty years old!"

"Tell us about your friends!" Happy eagerly suggested.

"I don't have any. You two are actually my first friends," the blonde answered, awkwardly chuckling and rubbing the back of her head. "I didn't exactly leave my apartment unless I was going to work. I never took the time to make friends because I was too invested in writing."

"Why?"

"Because it's vital I get published one day. I'm running out of time."

Natsu tried staying silent during the two's conversation but felt he needed to say something. Lucy was being too mopey, it was irritating. She was supposed to be bubbly and cheerful.

"Why would you be running out of time?" the dragon slayer asked with a huff. "You're only twenty."

Lucy sighed and gazed at the stars. "Because I'm like you. I'm trying to find my family."

Natsu's breath hitched in his throat as he turned to face the blonde. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hung open. " _She's looking for her family too? Does that mean she was abandoned like me?"_

The girl felt their curious stares and sighed again. "This blanket and my keys are all I have of my parents. Or at least I think they're from my parents. I don't know anything about them, not even their names. All I know is I was found in the forest as a baby and I grew up in a group home until I turned eighteen."

"What does this have to do with your writing?" Happy questioned.

Lucy wryly chuckled and answered, "I figured that if I got published, they would see my face on my book or on the internet and recognize me somehow. Then they would come and find me. But now that I think about it, if they wanted to be with me, they wouldn't have left me in that forest."

"Maybe there's something you don't know!"

"I thought that too. But… It isn't hard to find me at all! When you're a baby mysteriously found in the woods, Google can find you easily. So it wouldn't be hard for them to track me down at all. They obviously don't want me. Or they're already dead. I could be trying hard for nothing and I wouldn't even know."

Natsu studied Lucy intently. He could tell she was holding back tears as she hugged Happy tightly against her chest. With a reluctant sigh, he gazed at the stars.

"Igneel found me in the forest too," he stated, ignoring Lucy's questioning gaze. "I don't know my biological parents but I don't care. I don't need to know them. I have Igneel- or at least had him. He taught me my magic and a whole bunch of other things like how to read and write. One day when I was seven years old, I woke up and he was gone. I waited for days but he never came back, and that was when I decided to go look for him. Eventually I found Happy's egg and saved it from a Vulcan trying to eat it and ever since then, it's just been me and Happy."

"Why did you start stealing?" Lucy questioned.

"Because I had to," the dragon slayer answered with a shrug. "I didn't have any food or money and nobody wanted to hire a kid for a job so I stole. After that it just became a habit I guess."

"Igneel sounds like a lovely dad. I hope you find him one day."

Natsu smiled at the girl and nodded. It was then that he realized pushing Lucy away wasn't going to do any good. After he learned how alike they were, there was no going back. They were friends, and he cared for her.

Lucy yawned and stretched her arms above her head before laying on the ground, cuddling with Happy. It wasn't comfortable at all but it was better than walking all night and at least the fire kept her somewhat warm.

"Goodnight, you two," the blonde said.

"Night, Lucy," the two replied in unison.

Natsu stayed watching the fire swirl until he heard Lucy's steady breathing grow louder. When he knew for sure the blonde was asleep, he poked Happy's head to see if he was still awake.

"Natsu?" the cat questioned.

"Hey, buddy. Can you get me the book?" Natsu asked quietly.

Happy raised a brow at the dragon slayer before squirming carefully out of Lucy's hold. The exceed then pulled the fairy tale book out of his green bag and handed it to Natsu, who flipped open to the first page.

"What are you doing?" Happy questioned, looking at the page. It was the last page of Rapunzel, the story they didn't know anything about.

"Happy, I think I know who Lucy is," Natsu stated with wide eyes.

"Wait, you think she's supposed to be Rapunzel? How is that possible? She's not from this world."

"She is," Natsu corrected. "I knew she was the day we found her."

Happy's eyes widened. "You did? How?"

"Because of her blanket," the boy answered. "I know for sure that it's made out of Igneel's scales. How would she have a blanket made of his scales if she's never been here before?"

"Maybe Igneel went to Earth and that's why we haven't found him yet."

Natsu shook his head. "That's not possible. Igneel is strong but he doesn't know how to open portals to other worlds. Not only that, but Lucy said she was found in the woods with that blanket when she was a baby. Igneel was still here at the time because he found me."

"Wait a second," the cat began, his eyes widening, "that means that Lucy's parents are here! That's why she hasn't been able to find them! We have to tell her!"

"Shh, Happy!" the dragon slayer chastised. "We can't tell her."

"Why not?"

"Because I think I know who her parents are too."

"You do?" Happy asked.

Natsu frowned and nodded. "Remember I told you that Igneel used to be friends with King and Queen Heartfilia? Well, when I was a kid he told me that he wanted me to meet their daughter one day. Now look at this book. Most of the characters in it are princesses, we can assume Rapunzel was one too."

"And you think Lucy is Rapunzel, right?"

"Yeah. One day I asked Igneel if the King and Queen's daughter was dead, and he told me she wasn't. He said that she was just gone."

"And you think it was Lucy because she was in Earth."

"Yep. The last page of Rapunzel has to do with King Heartfilia's curse, so obviously the two are related in some way. And Lucy just so happens to be the savior of the curse that King Heartfilia enacted. And you see the way everyone looks at her. Jellal also mentioned that the Queen was a celestial mage, just like Lucy. She has to be their daughter. She's the lost princess."

"So why can't we tell Lucy?" Happy asked with a frown. He felt guilty talking about this behind their friend's back, especially when she just confessed to searching for her parents.

"Because the King will just disappoint her," Natsu answered. "The dude isn't a nice guy. She even said so herself. If he betrayed Igneel, he could betray Lucy too. We need to keep her away from his castle. They can't meet."

"But I'm sure he would be glad to see his daughter again!"

"We don't know that for sure, Happy. He could be too far in the darkness. We can't let her find out, okay?"

Happy hesitantly nodded. "Alright. I won't tell her." Just then, an imaginary lightbulb lit up in the cat's head as he grinned widely at the boy next to him.

"What are you smiling about?" Natsu asked. He could tell the cat was up to something.

"Remember what Lucy said about your character?" the exceed questioned, his grin growing mischievous by the second.

"What about him?"

"She said that you are supposed to fall in love with Rapunzel. If Lucy is Rapunzel, you're supposed to fall in love with her!"

Natsu choked on his spit and became a sputtering mess. Warmth spread through his body and he was positive it wasn't due to his magic or the fire in front of him. Glaring at the snickering cat, he replied, "That's where Lucy's story is wrong. In this world we aren't lovers or whatever, we're just close friends."

"So you admit you're friends now?" Happy asked.

The dragon slayer sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I guess I've been getting used to her."

"Friendship can turn into love."

"And cats can be turned into food if you keep bugging me."

Happy snickered before cuddling up against Lucy again. "I wouldn't mind you two falling in love. I think you deserve it." And with that, the cat allowed his eyes to droop closed until he was finally asleep.

Natsu sighed and shook his head. " _There's no way I'll fall for Lucy. I don't think I'm even capable of those mushy feelings."_ Yet he found himself staring at Lucy's face as her golden hair curtained it. With gentle fingers, he brushed her blonde locks out of her face, ignoring the jolt of electricity he felt in the process.

* * *

 **AN:** So we get a look of what Natsu is thinking. :') He knows Lucy's identity and now so does Happy! And now they're friends! :') You'll find out what the next story is in the next chapter so keep guessing! :) Here is a hint: it hasn't been guessed yet and it isn't a Disney movie, but it is a well-known fairy tail!

 **Guest:** Hello! :D Thank you for the review but I would have to disagree wtih you! Mulan is all about feminism! And Mulan is about a girl in a place where women aren't allowed to fight and are supposed to bring honor to their families by marrying someone so she sneaks in and fights! Erza did the same exact thing that Mulan did; refusing to marry and sneaking into the army. I don't think I overloaded the story with feminism haha! But I'll leave that to the rest of the reviewers since I could be biased lmao.

 **Chefbabe:** Ahh thank you so much! I knew it looked strange but I was like ehh I'll just go with it lol. And thank you I'm glad you like the story! :')

 **Arethelya:** Good queston! All of the stories do have pairings! But one of the pairings don't really act on it for certain reasons you'll find out when you get there haha! :D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, Cinder Fall 39, HollyDragneel, Guest, Hsdust, ThayetJade, Chefbabe, TheDigitalDork, AfroGaming, Nalulove, MuffinMalonez, animegirl101603, Arethelya, Lunahartz, Guest, IndianaCombs.** Sorry if I missed anyone, the review system is being stupid again. :') You guys are awesome! ;D


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** Hello everyone! It's time to find out what the next story is! :D QOTD: What is your favorite restaurant? :D I looove the Cheesecake Factory and have been craving it for a while now. :')

* * *

Chapter 19

Intertwined Stories

Lucy groaned the next morning as her entire body ached. Perhaps sleeping on the ground wasn't a good idea. Opening her eyes, she realized that her head was slightly more elevated than the rest of her body. Picking her head up, the girl found a cloaked arm was acting as her pillow. Natsu's arm.

And that was when she realized his other arm draped over her side. Lucy flushed from head to toe as she settled her head back onto Natsu's arm, not wanting to wake him up by escaping his grasp. She felt embarrassed being in that position, but she knew he deserved some rest after he had done most of their fighting.

About half an hour later, Natsu's eyes groggily opened as he inhaled a whiff of a vanilla scent and found a head of gold in front of him. Lucy was laying on his arm and was cuddled against him. They were _cuddling!_

Lucy stifled a sigh as she felt Natsu stiffen against her. " _So he's awake. Should I make the first move? But then he'll know that I was awake this whole time! I'll wait for him to move."_

But to her surprise, Natsu didn't move. Not for a while, at least. Instead, she felt his body relax while he lifted his arm from her side and brought it to her hair. With gentle fingers, he ran through her golden locks, unknowingly sending a warmth traveling through Lucy's body.

Natsu stiffened again once he realized what he was doing. Then his eyes landed on Happy, who was watching them and snickering behind his paws. Retracting his hand at the speed of light, the dragon slayer gently pulled his other arm out from under Lucy's head and glared at the exceed.

"You're annoying," he told the cat.

"I didn't say anything," Happy replied, though his smirk said it all.

Lucy took that as her cue to "wake up." So, she sat up slowly and stretched her arms above her head in a stretch, feeling her bones pop. Just to make sure they knew she was awake now, she released a loud yawn.

"G-Good morning, guys!" the girl greeted. Natsu turned to face her, causing her heart to stutter and her cheeks to flare up.

"Morning, Lucy!" Happy exclaimed as he packed his knapsack.

"Let's go," Natsu ordered a bit grumpily.

"Wait, I'm hungry!" Lucy complained. "And it's not like we have a place in mind anyways."

Natsu reluctantly sat back down, though he made sure to distance himself after what happened that morning.

"What story is next by the way?" Happy questioned as he handed the girl a small loaf of bread.

Lucy accepted it gratefully and answered, "I don't know. Let me check the book." Grabbing the said book, she flipped through, smiling reminiscently as she flipped through Mulan. Finally, she landed on their next story. "It's Hansel and Gretel."

"What's that about?" Natsu asked curiously, scarfing down stale bread.

"In my world or the book?"

"Let's start with yours."

Lucy put a finger to her chin in thought as she recalled the story. "I'm not too sure exactly. It's not one of the most popular stories. I think it's about these two siblings, a boy and a girl, that lost their father in the woods and use breadcrumbs to mark where they've been. I think they have to beat some witch that lives in a candy house or something."

"Why?" Natsu asked.

"I honestly don't know. It wasn't my favorite story growing up so I didn't pay attention to it."

"Why didn't you like it?"

"It just wasn't as interesting. Maybe if they made a movie it would be better."

"You never told us what a movie is!" Happy reminded the girl.

"Oh. Well it's like a story but you can watch it instead of read it! Like, people act as characters and then they film it and put it on a big screen! Or make little disks you can put in a device that lets you watch it! Wow, I never knew describing a movie would be hard."

"Sounds like a lacrima," Natsu replied.

"Lacrima?"

"It's a magical crystal that can do a bunch of things. Why don't you read what the book says about Hansel and Gretel now?"

Lucy nodded and set the book in her lap so she could read it. "Once upon a time, there was a trio of siblings that lived in a quaint home in the forest. They didn't have a lot of money, but their hearts were full of love towards each other and they were content with what they had so long as they had each other."

"I thought you said it was just a boy and a girl," Happy said.

"I guess in this world there's another sibling," Lucy mused. "Anyways, among these siblings were Hansel and Gretel, the youngest of the three. They lived happily with their older sister, until one day she was drafted by the King to fight against an evil wizard and his army. After many nights of waiting for their older sister to return, Hansel and Gretel were ecstatic when their sister finally came back home."

"That sounds like a happy ending to me," Natsu stated.

"There's more," Lucy replied. "The wizard that the older sister bested wanted revenge, so he snuck in their cottage during the middle of the night and used a sleeping curse on the woman. He then took their older sister to where nobody could find her."

"That sucks."

"It does. Anyways, Hansel and Gretel searched every day for their missing sister through the thick woods. The trees were too dense for them to find their sister. Never losing hope, the two searched every day and laid bread crumbs on the ground to mark their progress. Decades passed and Hansel and Gretel never found their older sister and they were too pained to be around each other for they served as painful reminders of their lost sibling. Thus, the two split up and never saw each other again, their lives ending in loneliness."

"What the hell is wrong with these stories?" Natsu questioned. "They're so messed up!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed. "Who would just split up like that?"

"I think the better question is, who would take their big sister?" Lucy asked. "Great, now we have to fight somebody else!"

"At least it's just one person this time," Natsu replied. "And it looks like we've got a lot more time than we did with Mulan's story. The story said that it took them decades before they gave up. Maybe we should skip to the next story."

"Aye!" Happy agreed, grabbing the book from Lucy. He flipped until the story after Hansel and Gretel. "This one is called Sleeping Beauty."

"I don't know if we should skip," Lucy stated.

"But whoever is in this story could be on a time crunch like Erza was," Natsu replied. "Let's at least read the story."

Happy nodded and read aloud, "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Aurora, who lived with her two siblings. Aurora had beautiful, golden hair and bright blue eyes, she was easily deemed one of the prettiest in all of the land. The girl was poor, but her two younger siblings filled her heart with happiness that she was content with life."

"Wait a second," Lucy began, "doesn't this sound familiar? A girl living with two of her younger siblings and they're poor but content? That is just like Hansel and Gretel!"

"Are you saying that this Aurora chick is their older sister? The one that was taken by the wizard?" Natsu asked.

"I think so! I know it sounds strange because they're in different stories, but it makes sense! Back in my world, Aurora was an only child. But here she has two siblings, who just so happen to be broke just like Hansel and Gretel!"

"I think Lucy is right!" Happy exclaimed as he read through the story. "One day, Aurora was gathering firewood in the dense forest and came face-to-face with King Philip. It was love at first sight for the two and they spent the day getting to know each other. The King informed Aurora that he was at war with his father. Not wanting to see her true love in pain, Aurora offered to fight against Philip's father."

"Oh my god," Lucy breathed out with wide eyes. "Happy, keep reading!"

"Aye! The King was wary of letting Aurora battle in war, but after she demonstrating her abilities, he reluctantly allowed it. Aurora sought out Philip's father and took out many of his soldiers and greatly wounded the evil wizard. After fighting, Aurora returned home to her siblings and waited for Philip to visit the next morning. However, in the middle of the night, the evil wizard snuck into their cottage and whisked Aurora away to where her siblings nor the King could find her. A sleeping curse was cast upon her and her loved ones eventually stopped looking for her, leaving her body to rot in the forest."

"It all makes sense!" Lucy exclaimed once Happy finished telling the story.

"Care to explain then?" Natsu questioned with a chuckle. He liked seeing Lucy get excited about something.

"I know who King Philip is in this land!" the blonde announced with a wide grin. "It's King Dreyar, or Laxus!"

"How do you know?" Happy asked.

"Remember the rumors about him meeting a girl and then she fought and something happened to her? That's Aurora! And Laxus read through the book and found something interesting, remember? He had to have found Aurora's story! So after Aurora was abducted, Laxus got paranoid and forbade any women from fighting!"

"That does make sense," Natsu stated. "So why don't we go tell Laxus that we figured it out?"

Lucy shook her head and answered, "Because he already knows this! He already knows that whoever he fell in love with is Aurora in the book. The problem is he can't find her. That's what we're here for! We need to find Aurora and bring her to the King and Hansel and Gretel!"

"What are we waiting for then? Let's go find Aurora!"

"Aye!" Happy cried.

With that, the three quickly packed their things and left their campsite. Though, they should've expected it would be harder than they thought. After all, they had to find one girl in a dense forest. That wasn't going to be easy.

"Why don't I just burn all the trees down?" Natsu suggested with an evil grin.

Lucy slapped the dragon slayer upside the head and answered, "You'll get us all arrested if you did that. I'm sure King Dreyar wanted to do that too but refrained from doing so."

The three walked in silence again, looking for any sign of a sleeping blonde. Then they recalled that Mulan ended up having scarlet hair, so perhaps Aurora wasn't going to have golden hair in the end. Hope was fading fast within the heroes and the sun was setting soon. They needed to find a clue fast. Luckily, Happy seemed to be their savior in that situation.

"Hey, guys!" the exceed shouted. "Look what I found!"

"What is it, buddy?" Natsu asked as he approached the cat.

Happy turned around and held out his paw, which held a ripped piece of bread.

Lucy gasped at the sight and asked, "Are you sure you didn't just drop that from your bag?"

"Aye! I'm positive!" Happy answered.

"You know what this means! Hansel and Gretel are nearby! Or at least were here! Their cottage has to be in this forest!"

The three grinned at each other and picked up the pace. To their delight, there were more breadcrumbs lying around. Unfortunately, there was no specific trail considering the two had to have been looking for a while now. Still, the trio continued to search for the siblings.

"I smell something," Natsu announced as he inhaled a deep breath. "It's food and it's coming from that way!"

The dragon slayer then dashed forward, evading trees and tall brush in his way. Lucy and Happy tried their best to keep up and when they reached the pinkette, they found him gaping. They followed his gaze and found a cottage, most definitely the one they were looking for. And they knew this because on the ground was an array of breadcrumbs.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm sure you all know who Hansel, Gretel, and Aurora are now haha! But just in case you don't, I won't say. ;) And let me explain! Once Upon a Time inspired me with their twists on stories! Characters in that story are also characters in another! So this is the first intertwined story! :)

 **Guest:** That is an awesome question! Alright, so the ally guilds (other than Mermaid Heel) will be making appearances. Though, not all characters. And only one of the guilds has their own fairy tale!

Thanks to the reviewers: **Hsdust, Guest, HollyDragneel, Axelle813, ThayetJade, TheDigitalDork, Mezatron, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Nalulove, Arethelya, Guest, Flire and Ice, MuffinMalonez, Sarah528, Guest, IndianaCombs, Alexa60765.** And thank you to everyone who followed/favorited too. :)


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** Time to meet Hansel and Gretel. :') I really like doing the QOTD because I feel like I get to know you guys so expect one every chapter. :) So here's today's QOTD: Are you a dog person or a cat person? Or maybe even both? :) I'm a dog person. :D

* * *

Chapter 20

Hansel and Gretel

"You found them!" Lucy exclaimed as she stared at the cottage. It was definitely small, especially for three adults. Hell, it looked smaller than her apartment in Seattle, and that was saying something.

"They're not here," Natsu stated, furrowing his brows. "But they have food cooking. Let's go check it out."

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

"No way!" Lucy protested. "We aren't going to trespass and steal their food, which I know is what you two were planning on doing!"

"We haven't had good food in days!" Natsu whined. "We've just had stale bread, like the ones these two have been dropping everywhere! We just need a hot meal!"

"And you'll get that if they offer," the blonde persisted. "For now, suck it up and eat the stale bread. But wow, it looks like their place is overflowing with bread. I wonder how they keep it from being eaten by the animals."

"It's magical," a sudden voice sounded from behind them. The three turned to find a young girl with silver hair in a pixie style. Her eyes were a beautiful blue, bluer than the ocean and the smile on her face was kind and calming.

Next to the girl stood a much taller man with darker skin but the same silver hair, though his was spiky. A stitched scar ran just below his right eye. Muscles bulged just about everywhere from his body as he carried logs on his back. Lucy probably would've collapsed under the weight of just one yet he was carrying three with ease.

"Who are you?" the man questioned, narrowing his eyes at the two. "It isn't manly to be watching somebody's house like that. It's actually creepy."

"Be nice, Elf-nii," the girl chastised. "I would've checked it out too if I saw a cottage surrounded by bread." She then smiled at the trio. "My name is Lisanna Strauss and this is my big brother, Elfman. Would you like to come in and eat with us? We promise we have more than just bread."

Lucy smiled at Lisanna and nodded gratefully. "That would be nice."

The group huddled inside the small home and sat at a round table. Their elbows touched and the room quickly grew warm with how cramped it was, but nobody complained. Lisanna set the table, placing bowls and spoons in front of each seat. The girl then brought a pot full of clam chowder and filled each bowl to the brim. For a poor family, they sure ate well.

"So who are all of you?" Lisanna questioned with a warm smile.

Lucy mirrored the expression and answered, "My name is Lucy Ashley and this is Flynn and Happy."

"What brings you this deep into the forest?" Elfman asked.

"Well, we actually came to find you."

The two siblings' eyebrows perched as they gave each other puzzled looks.

"Why were you looking for us?" Lisanna questioned.

Natsu's ears twitched as he heard the silver-haired girl tapping her foot on the floor excessively, as if nervous. The pinkette glanced towards Elfman, whose hands were forming tight fists as he eyed Lucy and waited for an answer.

" _They're going to attack!"_ Natsu thought. And sure enough, Elfman shot up from his seat and lunged towards the dragon slayer. The silver-haired man swung his buff arm, but luckily Natsu dodged. And it was a good thing he did too, because the man's punch destroyed his own wall.

"You sure pack a punch!" Natsu shouted, grinning widely. "But that wouldn't be strong enough to beat me!"

"Oh yeah?" Elfman questioned. "How about this then? Beast Arm: Iron Bull!"

Natsu watched as Elfman's arm began to change its form. It was composed of metal and had lines of bolts. The silver-haired man thrust his arm forward, his fist crashing into Natsu's face and sending him spiraling out of the house and through trees.

Natsu got up to his shaky feet and wiped blood from his mouth with a fanged grin. "I'll give you that. That punch was better. You still can't beat me though."

"I will do the manly thing and protect my sister. I will beat you!"

Lucy watched as Natsu battled against Elfman. She wasn't expecting the man to suddenly go berserk like that. Suddenly, the blonde found herself kicked in the back and sent falling face-first onto the floor. Turning to face the culprit, she found Lisanna glaring at her.

The silver-haired woman was now clad in a white tiger-print bikini and a collar around her neck. She also had cat ears sprouting from her hair and huge paws instead of her hands with gleaming claws.

"Lisanna, what are you doing?" Lucy asked in both shock and fear. She didn't want to fight the woman, she was kind and let them into their home! She couldn't fight her!

"Don't act dumb," Lisanna replied. "This is my Animal Soul: Cat. I will claw you to bits if I have to. Now leave! And never come back!"

"No! You don't understand! We're here to help you!"

"Liar!"

Lucy dodged just in time as Lisanna leapt towards her and slashed her oversized claws. No longer having a choice, the blonde grabbed a golden key, Virgo. In a bright glow, the maid appeared.

"Is it time for punishment, Princess?" the pinkette questioned in her monotone voice.

"No!" Lucy answered. "I need your help to subdue Lisanna! Try not to hurt her though!"

"I will try my best," Virgo replied as she dug feet below the ground.

Lisanna stayed on her toes, waiting for a surprise attack. As the girl expected, Virgo dug a deep hole just beneath her. The silver-haired girl jumped up in time and away from the hole, only to find her waist tied in Lucy's whip.

"I'm sorry about this!" Lucy exclaimed as she threw Lisanna into the hole. Feeling like she was in the clear, the blonde turned to her spirit and said, "Thanks for the help, Virgo!"

"Anytime, Princ-"

Just then, Lisanna flew out of the hole, now looking like a colorful bird. When she landed back on solid ground, she transformed back into a cat.

"Like it would be that easy to get rid of me!" the girl shouted. She then lunged towards Lucy and scratched the blonde's right arm.

Luckily, Lucy was able to jump away before Lisanna's claws cut too deep. The silver-haired girl was about to slash at her again before Virgo wrapped her own whip around her legs, causing her to fall flat on the ground. Lucy took that to her advantage and used her whip to tie the rest of Lisanna up.

"Let me go!" Lisanna demanded, just as Elfman's body flew back into the cottage. He was smoking, burnt, and barely conscious. "Elf-nii!"

"Lisanna… Run…" the boy breathed out.

"Nobody is running," Natsu announced as he approached them. Blood dripped from his jaw and he had a black eye, but he was relatively okay.

"What are you going to do to us?" Lisanna spat out. "Take us like you did Mira-nee?"

"Why the hell would we do that?"

"Because you're working with Ivan, aren't you!? Well go ahead!"

"We aren't trying to take you," Lucy stated, helping the tied up Lisanna to a chair. Even though she had to be restrained, she didn't have to be on the floor.

"You aren't?" Elfman questioned.

Lucy shook her head and answered, "No. In fact, we're trying to find your sister and bring her back to you."

The siblings' eyes widened and their jaws went slack.

"Y-You're looking for Mira-nee?" Lisanna questioned. "Why?"

"It's kinda my job," Lucy answered with an awkward chuckle. "Are you guys familiar with King Heartfilia's curse?" After seeing the two nod their heads, she continued, "Well, I happen to be the savior to that curse. I'm here to bring back everyone's happy endings."

"How do you expect us to believe that?" Elfman questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Because it's in this book!" Happy answered as he retrieved the object from his knapsack. The cat then flipped to the story of Hansel and Gretel. "See? This is about you guys!"

Elfman warily accepted the book into his own hands and skimmed through the story, his eyes widening. It was true. Their story was actually written in the book, though they were named Hansel and Gretel. Was he Hansel? Or was he supposed to be Gretel? He wasn't sure which one was the girl's name.

"It's true, Lisanna," the man told his sister. "They're telling the truth."

Lisanna gasped as she stared at the trio. "Then that means we hurt you for nothing!"

"Don't worry about it," Lucy assured with a kind smile. "It's water under the bridge now. Let me untie you."

Once Lisanna was freed, she frowned at their guests. "I'm sorry, but how are you supposed to find Mira-nee in this forest? Elf-nii and I search it every day for our sister but we can never find her. Even the King sent his troops looking and nobody could find her. I'm sorry, but I don't think you would be able to."

Lucy smiled at the girl and replied, "I understand. But we _will_ find her. I promise you that. I think because I'm supposed to be the savior, things just kinda work out for me. It's hard to explain."

"Are we the first people you're helping?" Elfman asked.

"We're going in order by the book," Natsu explained. "You guys are the second story."

"We helped a girl named Erza Scarlet back in Magnolia. We kept her from being executed," Happy added. "And before that we helped a whole town that was starving from a corrupt politician! Lucy can find your sister!"

"The good news is, it looks like we don't have to fight this time," Lucy stated. "Ivan is the one that took your sister, right?"

Lisanna nodded and answered, "Yes. He snuck in during the middle of the night."

"Unlike what your book says though, we did wake up and try to fight him. He was just too strong," Elfman informed them.

"We just defeated Ivan a few days ago," Lucy stated.

The Strauss siblings gasped and shared hopeful looks with each other.

"But if we beat him a few days ago," Happy began, "doesn't that mean their sister should've showed up by now?"

"Unless beating Ivan doesn't undo his curse," Natsu replied. "Which I'm guessing is the case."

"We can still find her, right?" Lisanna questioned worriedly.

Lucy placed a hand reassuringly on the girl's shoulder and answered, "We can. But we'll need to do it tomorrow. The sun is already setting and it's getting dark. There would be no point going out there tonight."

"You three can stay here with us," Elfman offered. "Our home isn't big and now it's got a huge hole in it, but it's better than nothing. Lucy should be able to fit with Lisanna in her bed. Flynn, Happy and I can sleep in mine."

"I'd rather sleep on the floor," Natsu replied, grossed out at the thought of sleeping in the same bed as Elfman. Or any man for that matter. Hell, any person. There were only two people he could sleep in the same bed with: Lucy and Happy, and he was still getting used to the former. Though, Lucy probably wouldn't let him sleep in the same bed as her in the first place.

"Aye," Happy agreed.

Elfman glared at the two and shouted, "Sleeping in the same bed is manly!"

"NO IT ISN'T!"

The two girls sighed at the boys' idiocy before smiling at each other warmly. Lisanna then fetched Lucy a pair of pajamas. The girls were remarkably the same size. Then everyone went to sleep, Lisanna and Lucy in the former's bed, Elfman in his, and Natsu and Happy curled up on the floor.

* * *

When sunlight peered into the cottage, everyone in the small home groaned as they got up. Lucy and Lisanna smiled at each other as they got out of bed. The silver-haired girl went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast, which was more clam chowder soup since they didn't get the chance to eat it the prior day.

After indulging in the hot meal, everyone got dressed quickly, taking turns with the bathroom. Lucy smiled at her outfit for the day. She was wearing an orange tank top and a denim mini skirt. She also wore the shoes that Erza gave her and a red ribbon in her hair.

"So what's the plan?" Natsu asked as the blonde approached them.

She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head nervously as she answered, "I don't really have one."

"But you're the savior!" Lisanna exclaimed, worried that she had gotten her hopes up for nothing. "You said we would find Mira-nee!"

"And we will!" Lucy replied. "But I don't know how to go about this differently. I think our best hope is using the breadcrumbs to mark whatever spots we've checked already and do that until we find her. Splitting up would make it go by faster."

"Do you think she'll just pop up out of nowhere?" Elfman asked in frustration.

"Hey, give her a chance! She's just trying to help!" Natsu shouted, glaring at the other man.

"Thanks, Flynn," Lucy replied, smiling fondly at the pinkette. "Look, I know I'm supposed to be the savior, but I'm still learning how all of this works. I come from a completely different world where none of you are supposed to exist and I just realized I can use magic. Do you think you can cut me some slack?"

Lisanna sighed and nodded. "We're sorry, Lucy. It's just that it's been months since we've seen Mira-nee. We're just really worried about her."

"I know. That's why we will find her. So let's go lay down some breadcrumbs!"

* * *

 **AN:** A bit of drama but things are all good now between everyone. :) Hopefully they can find Mira soon! :D Ahh I have so many finals next week wish me luck. I'm gonna need it lmao. :')

 **Arethelya:** Hello! :D Most of the stories are Disney movies but there are two that are traditional fairy tales haha! This story blends them together, which is why true love's kiss is in it and whatnot. :) There is one more traditional fairy tale in it that was heavily hinted in the first chapter! ;D

Thank you to the reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, IndianaCombs, NaluNom, MuffinMalonez, Soul Eater Maka, Flire and Ice, Nalulove, Alexa60765, Lunahartz, Arethelya.** As always, you guys are awesome. :D


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:** This arc was sorta meant to be a filler type of arc. It isn't going to be as long as the rest, hope you don't mind. :) There is a cute Nalu moment coming up soon in this arc though I can't wait to share it with you. :') QOTD: What is the color of your hair? :D I have brown hair but the ends are blondish from dying it a long time ago haha! Also, yay we are at 200 reviews! :D I'll leave a sneak peek of the next chapter as thanks. :')

* * *

Chapter 21

Pep Talks

Despite the group's hard efforts, Lucy and the rest found that the woods were still too big to find Mira in one day. In fact, two weeks had passed and there still wasn't any sign of the oldest Strauss sibling. They were growing wary after spending so much time wasted. Lucy in particular felt crummy about the whole situation.

" _What kind of savior am I supposed to be if I can't find somebody?"_ the blonde wondered glumly. The girl was walking through the thick woods, searching for Mira. Her shoes were muddy and she was running out of breadcrumbs and hope. " _First there was Simon and now there's Mira. I can't save anyone."_

Lucy sighed as she stared at the sack full of bread crumbs she had been hauling around all day. That was their routine: going out with full bags of breadcrumbs and splitting up to cover more ground. When everyone ran out, they would head in for the day, each of them saddened by the fact that they were still not successful.

Just where exactly was Mira?

Feeling the need for a picker-upper, Lucy retrieved a silver key from her key ring and summoned one of her favorite spirits, Plue. In a miniature golden light, the spirit appeared with its usual dopey smile and wobbling legs. The blonde smiled at her companion and gestured for him to follow, which he did happily.

"There's still no sign of Mira," Lucy told Plue, her smile dropping. "None of us have been able to find her and I'm not exactly sure as to what to do. I thought the whole breadcrumb thing would work but now I'm not so sure. Now I'm starting to doubt myself…"

Plue frowned at his owner and gave a sound of what was supposed to be for reassurance. Yet after hearing it for the past two weeks, its effects stopped working for Lucy. The blonde continued to walk, leaving crumbs on the way as she searched for the missing Strauss sibling, her head hanging a little low.

"I hope we find her soon," Lucy murmured. "I'm sure Lisanna doesn't think I notice, but I know she cries every night. And even though Elfman tries to act all big and tough, it's obvious he feels the same as Lisanna. I just feel so useless."

The two continued to walk together in silence, save for their footsteps. But just as the prior days, they ran out of breadcrumbs before being able to find any trace of another living being. With her head hanging even lower, Lucy sent Plue back through his gate and traveled the rest of the way back to the cottage.

When Lucy arrived, she wasn't surprised that it was only Natsu and Happy there. Usually Lisanna and Elfman were out longer, probably searching even after running out of breadcrumbs.

Natsu noticed the disheartened frown on Lucy's lips and the way her golden hair curtained her face. It didn't take him even a second to realize the girl was upset and he didn't have to wonder why. He knew that she took their missions hard and that she blamed herself when something wasn't going right.

Natsu smiled and said, "Don't worry, Lucy! We'll just find her tomorrow!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

"You said that yesterday," Lucy mumbled, followed by a heavy sigh. "I know you guys are trying to cheer me up but the only thing that is going to cheer me up is finding Mira."

"Don't stress too much about it!" Natsu persisted. "We've helped Shirotsume and Erza, we'll help Mira too! You're the savior, there's no way we'll fail!"

Lucy's hands formed tight fists as she bit her bottom lip. "I never asked to be the savior," she breathed out. "I never asked for this responsibility. For this pressure!"

Natsu and Happy bit their tongues as they let Lucy vent. The blonde glared at the ground as she voiced the frustrations she held inside of her the moment she wound up in Earthland.

"Do you know how frustrating it is to be sucked up into some other world and told that other people's happiness depends on you?" she spat out. "Oh, and let's not forget that some of these people actually _die_ if I mess up! I can't handle all of that pressure on me!"

Natsu stepped towards the blonde in hopes of dispelling her anger, but she only continued to rage.

"I just want to go home already!" Lucy shouted. "I miss my home, my clothes, and my stuff! I miss not having to travel in the woods every day! I miss not having to fight bad guys and I miss not having everyone rely on me when I wasn't even shown what to do in the first place!"

"So what do you suggest we do?" Natsu asked, his face serious as he stepped in front of the girl.

"Huh?"

"I'm asking what you want to do," the boy elaborated. "Do you want to give up? Do you want to run away from all of this and find your own way back into your world? It's _your_ life, Lucy. If you want to do all of those things then go ahead. Nobody can force you to do something you don't wanna do. But you have to know the truth. If you leave, people _will_ die and we will never get our happy endings. So it's up to you if you wanna let that happen."

Lucy frowned as she loosened her fists until her hands were hanging numbly by her side. She then shook her head and replied in a meek voice, "I don't want to do that."

"What do you want to do then?" Natsu questioned, crossing his arms and studying Lucy.

"I want to help them. I want to bring back everyone's happy endings. I don't want to give up."

The dragon slayer smiled at his friend and nodded, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I thought you would say that. The Lucy I know doesn't give up. She is too stubborn to give up on anything, even if it's just stealing a tiny loaf of bread."

Lucy giggled and replied, "That's because stealing is wrong. Thank you. I guess you know just what to say to make me feel better."

"That's because you and Happy are my best friends!"

"I am?"

"Duh. Even though you're weird and annoying. And loud. And-"

"Alright I get it!" Lucy interrupted, crossing her arms while she narrowed her eyes at the cackling boy in front of her. Her gaze then softened as she giggled and added, "You two are my best friends too. Like I said before, you are actually my first friends."

"How lucky for you to have such awesome first friends like us!" Natsu exclaimed, gesturing towards himself.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get ahead of yourself, dragon boy."

"Stop flirting in front of me!" Happy shouted as he rocketed himself into Lucy's chest. "It's gross!"

"WE AREN'T FLIRTING!" the other two yelled.

"I have to agree with Happy," a sudden voice called out. Lisanna approached them with a warm smile on her face. "You two were definitely flirting. Except I don't think it's gross, I think it's cute!"

"Not you too, Lisanna!" Lucy groaned.

"Flirting is manly!" Elfman added.

"You say that about everything," Happy pointed out.

"Because everything is manly!"

The group laughed as they entered the small, worn down cottage, each trying to forget their disappointment of that day.

* * *

Later that night, Lisanna sighed as she sat outside of the small home, needing a breath of fresh air. Though the company was nice, their home definitely wasn't big enough for all of them. Light twinkled from the stars and shone over the girl's fair skin as she stared at the moon, reminded of her sister's hair.

"The nights sure are getting chillier," Lisanna murmured. Sure enough, the silver-haired girl could see her own breath. "It's definitely too cold for somebody to be living in the woods. You're probably going to have a cold once we find you, huh Mira-nee?"

"Nee-chan can handle a cold," a sudden yet familiar voice said. Lisanna didn't need to face the other person to know it was her brother. "Nee-chan is a man!"

"Anyone would get sick being left out for a year in the cold," the girl persisted with a sad smile on her face. "What if we never find her, Elf-nii?"

"Have faith, Lisanna. We will find her," Elfman assured as he sat beside his younger sister. "We need to have faith."

"How can we? We've been looking for over a month and we haven't gotten any clues or anything as to where Mira-nee could be. Even Lucy, who is supposed to be the savior, temporarily lost hope earlier today. You heard her."

"But she was reminded that she needed to have hope, which is what I'm going to do with you. Right now, Lucy's faith isn't important."

Lisanna arched a brow as she tore her gaze away from the moon and stared at her brother. "What do you mean? She's the savior, of course it is."

Elfman sighed as he shook his head. "It is, but our faith is more important."

"Elf-nii, is there something you aren't telling me?"

The boy sighed as he replied, "Remember the day Lucy and the others first showed up? They showed me the book as proof that she was the savior and that they were trying to help us."

"And?" Lisanna questioned.

"Well, the book had our story in it, but it was different. It talked about how we grew up poor with Mira-nee and how much we loved her and how she was taken, but there were some differences in it."

"Like what?"

"For starters, the book said that we slept through Ivan's raid of our home while he took Nee-chan. And our names were Hansel and Gretel, but I'm still not sure which one we're supposed to be. Anyways, those are the small things. There's something else…"

"Elf-nii, just tell me," Lisanna ordered. "If it helps us find Mira-nee, you need to let me know."

Elfman shook his head again and replied, "It doesn't help us find her. But it gives an ending to our story."

"An ending? So we find her!?"

"That's the thing, Lisanna… We don't. The book says that we both give up and separate because it's too much pain to be around each other. That is why we need to have faith! The moment we start doubting ourselves, we'll never be able to find Nee-chan and this story will come true!"

Lisanna sat, shocked at the revelation. " _We give up? I lose Elf-nii too? I can't let that happen."_ The girl stood up and stared into the moon. "We will find you, Mira-nee! We won't ever give up no matter how long it takes!"

Elfman grinned and stood up as well, shouting, "You just wait, Nee-chan! We're gonna bring you home soon!"

The two siblings continued to shout their determination into the sky, hoping that their cries could be heard by their dear sister. Back in the cottage, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy grinned as they watched Lisanna and Elfman regain their lost hope. All of them had rekindled faith in their hearts, leading them to believe they were going to find Mira soon. None of them believed they were going to give up.

But little did they know that doubt was sometimes a too powerful thing.

* * *

 **AN:** Got some insight as to what Lucy thinks of her whole situation. If I was in that situation, I would be pretty pissed if people relied on me and I had to deal with all of that pressure haha. :') And the chapters in this story are definitely shorter than my other stories, but I have SOOO many that I think it makes up for it. Hope you liked it! :D

 **ThayetJade:** Hello! :D Actually, Rapunzel isn't the traditional fairy tale I was talking about since there is Tangled! There is another story that I don't think anyone has picked up on! If they did, they haven't said anything about it. ;D

As promised, here is the sneak peek:

 _"Still should've since he was with Nee-chan. She doesn't need him, she can just stay with us!" Elfman joked again._

 _"Well she's not with us either, is she?" Lisanna asked in a harsher tone than she meant. Everyone at the table stayed quiet and stared at the girl with widened eyes. "I-I'm sorry, Elf-nii. I didn't mean to say that, I promise! It just slipped out."_

 _"I-It's okay," the boy replied._

 _Though the awkwardness didn't disappear for that night._

Thank you to the reviewers: **Nalulove, TheDigitalDork, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, MuffinMalonez, Hsdust, Flire and Ice, ThayetJade.** You guys are awesome! :D


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:** This arc is coming to a close soon! The QOTD comes from ThayetJade so here it is: what is the first anime you watched? Technically mine would be Sailor Moon since apparently I watched it all the time when I was a kid but honestly I don't remember. :') So I would have to say that the first anime I distinctively remember watching would be Naruto lol. Yet I never did finish it!

* * *

Chapter 22

Falling Out

The next morning, the group stood outside of the Strauss siblings' cottage with determination gleaming in their eyes. After the pep talks from the prior day, all of them were ready for another search to find Mira. Once everyone's sacks were filled to the brim with breadcrumbs, they nodded at each other before going their separate ways through the thick woods to find the remaining sibling.

Lucy ventured deep into the woods before summoning Plue to keep her company. The spirit was happy to see its owner in a much better mood now. After finding their spot from yesterday, they walked farther, dropping more breadcrumbs as they went. Green soon became white as bread covered the grass. If they kept this up, they would have to find Mira eventually.

"I'm glad that Lisanna and Elfman have hope now," Lucy stated with a small smile. After hearing Plue's strange sounds of reply, she continued, "And I'm glad I'm more determined now too. What kind of a savior would I be if I just gave up when it got hard? It's a good thing Natsu is with me so that he can keep me encouraged. Though I guess I'm not completely encouraged…"

After simultaneously travelling through the woods and dropping breadcrumbs for another hour, Lucy found herself running out of bread. Once the last breadcrumb was dropped, the girl followed her trail back to the cottage, though she wasn't as disheartened as the day before. Arriving at the cottage, the blonde found she was the last to finish.

"No luck for today," Lisanna stated, though her eyes didn't carry the same sadness as the day before. "That's okay. There's always tomorrow!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed. "We'll find your sister soon enough! There can't be that much of the woods left untouched!"

"Actually, these woods are pretty big," Natsu corrected.

"Doesn't matter," Elfman began, "we'll find her."

The group nodded to each other with wide grins before calling it a night.

* * *

Three days later, Lucy yawned as she joined the rest of the group outside of the cottage for another day of searching. It had been nineteen days since they began searching, that day being the twentieth. It allowed the group time to get to know each other.

Lucy was fond of both of the Strauss siblings. Lisanna was sweet and caring, but also had a mischievous side. The silver-haired girl often teased Natsu over many things, a lot of them being his supposed feelings for the blonde. Both would deny the accusation with flushed cheeks, to which Lisanna would laugh at, along with Happy. Elfman was also an interesting person. He had the odd habit of using the word "man" in every sentence. He often even referred to Lucy as a man, to which she would get ticked off. Still, he was strong and he obviously cared for his siblings. It warmed Lucy's heart.

Lucy hurriedly traveled into the woods once again. The worst part of the search was reaching a part left untouched by breadcrumbs. They had been searching so long that it took a while to find a new place to search.

As Lucy continued to walk, something whirred in the pit of her stomach. It felt almost like a swarm of butterflies, but like there was a magnet pulling at them. As if pulling _her._ Turning her head, the blonde found a small clearing in the woods with a creek and wall of rocks, to which one could climb and reach higher ground. She hadn't explored this part of the woods, but someone else did, which was indicated by the breadcrumbs surrounding it.

Thus, Lucy continued to walk deeper into the woods until she eventually reached untouched land. Her body was growing tired but she refused to stop looking, at least not until she ran out of bread. Summoning Plue, she now had somebody to keep her company.

"I wonder how Lisanna and Elfman afford all of this bread," the blonde mused. "Do they buy it stale?"

After eventually running out of bread for the day, the girl rushed back to the cottage as it was growing colder by the days. She didn't know the date, but didn't need to in order to know that winter was approaching.

" _I hope we find Mira before then."_

* * *

As the group sat around the table that night for dinner, they immersed themselves in idle chatter just as they did every night. Lucy took that as her opportunity to ask the question she wondered earlier.

"So how do you guys have this much bread?" the blonde questioned.

Lisanna giggled and replied, "It must be strange, huh? Elf-nii is actually a woodcutter. He brings wood into the neighboring towns and trades it for whatever we need. Once Mira-nee was taken, he traded it for all the leftover bread in a bunch of bakeries. Then we had them magically enhanced by the previous king."

"A king did that for you?" Natsu asked in astonishment. After all of King Heartfilia's orders, he assumed all kings were corrupt or too busy to burden themselves with the peoples' problems.

"Well his grandson is in love with Mira so it makes sense he would try to help," Lucy replied.

"You know about that?" Elfman questioned.

The blonde nodded and answered, "Yep. I kinda figured it out after meeting the guy. Do you two ever talk to King Dreyar?"

"Not anymore. Well, it wasn't like we used to either. We only saw him a couple times and we didn't exactly talk much."

"Why not?" Happy inquired.

"The King didn't have much time and he liked to spend what he had with Nee-chan."

"What do you mean he didn't have time?"

"He's the King," Lisanna began, "and we're nothing but poor siblings living far out in the woods. If word spread that the King was in love with a peasant, I'm sure he would get scolded for it or even seen as unworthy of the throne. Then the title could be handed to someone with bad intentions. They had to sneak around and keep their situation hidden. We don't know how they met and we probably never would've spoken to him if we didn't accidentally walk in on them kissing."

"It took all the power I had not to punch the guy," her brother joked.

"It's a good thing you didn't considering he's the King."

"Still should've since he was with Nee-chan. She doesn't need him, she can just stay with us!" Elfman joked again.

"Well she's not with us either, is she?" Lisanna asked in a harsher tone than she meant. Everyone at the table stayed quiet and stared at the girl with widened eyes. "I-I'm sorry, Elf-nii. I didn't mean to say that, I promise! It just slipped out."

"I-It's okay," the boy replied.

Though the awkwardness didn't disappear for that night.

* * *

Another three days passed and Lucy found herself travelling through the woods once again. Her brows were furrowed as she bit her lip in anxiety. Needing to release some of her strength, she summoned her companion. Plue appeared in a golden light with a frown on his lips, already sensing the girl's distress.

"Hi, Plue," Lucy greeted weakly. "I'm sorry to summon you every day." The spirit shook his head as if to tell her it was okay, prompting the blonde to continue. "Things have been getting hard again for all of us."

And it was true. Ever since that awkward night at the dinner table, relations between the Strauss siblings only worsened. They nagged each other over every little thing until they were red in the face. They used to be kind and caring towards one another but now they were cold and distant. Most of their conversations ended in arguments over petty things.

"They're starting to grow apart. I think that means we're running out of time," Lucy continued with a worried heart. "The story ends with Hansel and Gretel giving up and leaving each other. If their relationship continues like this, we'll lose Mira."

Plue let out a worried sound as he wobbled next to Lucy. The blonde smiled at him and picked him up so that he didn't have to walk anymore. Though the spirit couldn't talk, he still gave her the company and reassurance she needed during her searches.

"Hopefully their fights stay petty. I don't think their relationship will survive a huge fight."

Just then, Lucy's stomach churned once again with that magnetic feeling. The blonde took in her surroundings and found that she was approaching the creek once again. Oddly enough, whenever the girl passed that spot, her stomach would do flips.

"Maybe the air is weird here or something," Lucy mused aloud before continuing along her way.

* * *

Hours passed before Lucy found her sack void of breadcrumbs, meaning it was time for her to return. Sending Plue back through his gate, the girl rushed back to the cottage.

" _Maybe if Natsu and I control the conversations, Lisanna and Elfman won't get into a fight."_

But alas, when she returned, she found everyone was already back and the two siblings were already at each other's throats.

"Maybe you could do the dishes for once in your life," Lisanna spat as she aggressively washed one of used plates.

Elfman glared at his sister and shot back, "And maybe you should cut down the trees and go all the way into town to sell it and drag back the bread. Oh that's right, you can't. Because you're too _weak."_

Lisanna dropped the bowl she was about to wash and turned to face her brother with dangerously narrowed eyes and a fuming face. " _I'm_ weak? You're the one that couldn't protect Mira-nee!"

"Neither could you! All you could do was turn into a stupid cat!"

"Hey!" Happy shouted, insulted.

"Well at least it's better than transforming into a beast!" Lisanna shouted, ignoring Happy.

"Is not! I'm actually strong!" Elfman argued. "You think that just because you do all the cooking and cleaning around here you're the only one that puts in work? In my eyes, you're just trying to be like Nee-chan! But you'll _never_ be like her! She was actually useful!"

Lisanna clenched her fists together tightly and shot back, "Mira-nee doesn't even love you because you're just a bother!"

"If she doesn't love me then maybe I should stop looking for her!"

"Maybe you should!"

Lucy watched the scene unfold with dread sitting in her stomach. Tears began to prick her eyes as she listened to the siblings throw endless insults towards each other. Before they were loving and now they were vicious. Time was running out.

Natsu watched as Lucy dashed outside the door. Feeling the need to check up on her, he ordered Happy to stay put with the siblings so that they wouldn't kill each other. Then he ran after Lucy, hoping she wouldn't do anything stupid. When he got outside, he sprinted towards the blonde, following her scent and grabbed her wrist in order to stop her.

"What are you doing?" the boy asked.

Lucy answered between pants, "I'm going to find Mira! We're running out of time!"

"What do you mean?"

"The story! Remember the ending? They're already reaching that point of no return! If we don't find Mira now, they'll split up and stop looking for her! You heard them, Lisanna is egging Elfman to stop!"

"But the book said they didn't stop for decades! There should be time!"

"Well there isn't! You saw them! The book was wrong about a lot of things and it's wrong about how much time we have! Maybe me being here speeds it up or maybe the book really is just wrong but either way, Natsu, we have to find her now! And those two are no help to us now, we have to do this alone!"

Natsu took in Lucy's appearance. She was still panting as tears flowed down her cheeks. She really was worried for that family.

"Alright," the boy stated. "But how are we going to find her? It's already dark out so seeing the breadcrumbs won't be easy for you since you don't have a fire spirit or a flashlight."

"I don't care," Lucy replied. "I am going to look no matter how hard it is."

Natsu nodded again. "Alright then, let's split up. Be careful, Lucy."

"You too."

With that said, the two high-fived before dashing in opposite directions. Neither remembered to bring breadcrumbs along in their haste until they were too far from the cottage. Natsu ran and ran, waiting for any new scent to reach his nose but it was futile. No matter where he went, he never caught Mira's scent.

" _Maybe it's because Lucy is the savior,"_ the dragon slayer thought. " _If she's the one that's supposed to bring back the happy endings, then maybe she's the one that has to find Mira."_

Still, the boy continued to run and sniff the air. But just as he thought, it wasn't his job to find the missing Strauss sibling.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the forest, Lucy ran with tears clouding her vision. She knew that crying wasn't going to get her anywhere but couldn't help it. All her life she wanted a family and seeing one being torn apart in front of her eyes was devastating.

So, the girl ran and ran, refusing to give up. There was no way she was going to let a role model family be torn apart because she couldn't find Mira. Though, the pressure only made her cry even harder.

"Crying isn't going to help me!" Lucy shouted to herself as she stopped running. The girl hastily wiped her tears. "I'm going to find you, Mira!"

With that, she ran some more, searching high and low for any other sign of life besides the trees. That was when she recognized where she was once her stomach started doing flips. Stopping in her tracks, the blonde found the same creek that had been attracting her for the past week.

Lucy studied the creek and the rock wall and took a step towards it, surprised to find that the pull in her stomach grew. Warily walking closer, her stomach continued to churn and she stopped by the creek. Then, she turned towards the rock wall and the magnetic feeling grew tenfold. Her body began moving on its own as she approached the wall to study it. Light peeked through a small crack between rocks.

" _This is strange,"_ Lucy thought. " _It's like I'm being pulled towards these rocks. Like something is forcing me to come here. Maybe that's why my stomach feels like this whenever I walk by. And why would there be light behind these rocks?"_

Hesitantly, the girl brought up a shaky hand and reached towards the wall. Upon the slightest of contact, a shock ran through her body, bringing her to the ground.

"W-What the hell was that!?" Lucy asked to nobody in particular. "Unless… Unless that was magic! Maybe…"

Retrieving a golden key, she summoned Virgo. In a bright light, the maid appeared with her usual bored face.

"Hello, Princess. Is it time for punishment?" the pinkette questioned in her monotone voice.

"Of course not!" the blonde answered. "Virgo, I need you to make a tunnel under these rocks!"

"A tunnel? Why?"

"Because I can't touch these rocks and knock it down! See if there's space behind these rocks!"

Virgo nodded before drilling into the ground. Moments later, the maid popped back up out of the hole with widened eyes.

"There is indeed space behind those rocks, Princess," she stated.

Lucy's eyes widened as she asked, "There is? I need to get over there then!" Without a moment of hesitation, the blonde jumped into the tunnel and crawled through, ignoring the dirt that covered her clothes and skin and the scrapes that appeared over as she crawled over a sharp rock. Finally, light shown up ahead and the girl crawled faster until Virgo helped push her out of the other hole.

Standing up, Lucy found that the air was thinner and that she was in a small room- though it could hardly be called that since everything was made out of dirt. Sure enough, there were lacrimas in every corner, illuminating the small space.

" _That's why there was light peeking through the rocks!"_ Lucy thought. " _I knew I was onto something!"_

With great speed, Lucy spun on her heel and her jaw practically dropped to the floor.

In the center of the room, laying on the dirt was none other than a silver-haired girl.

* * *

 **AN:** How many people were expecting that place to be where Mira was hidden before the end? :D She finally found Mira. :')

Thank you to the reviewers: **Flire and Ice,** **Lunahartz, TheDigitalDork, Axelle.813, MuffinMalonez, ThayetJade, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove,** **Sakura1171.** And thank you to everyone that followed and faved. :)


	23. Chapter 23

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D So it turns out I completely forgot another arc I wrote that had a classic fairy tale so there are two more not one lmao I suck. QOTD: What is your fav color? Mine is pink! :D

* * *

Chapter 23

Aurora

Lucy dashed towards the unconscious girl and dropped by her side. If the hair color was any indicator, she was definitely the missing Strauss sibling. Mira was a beautiful girl with shiny white hair that flowed like gentle waves, her bangs being tied up. She was adorned in a sleeveless maroon dress with a large pink bow on her chest and on her side. It was dirtied with grime but still beautiful, just like her.

"We found her," Lucy breathed out, tears pricking her chocolate brown eyes. "Virgo, we found her!"

"Who is she?" the maid questioned.

"Her name is Mira! She's Lisanna and Elfman's older sister! She's been missing for like a year and we finally found her!"

"A year? How is she still alive?"

"She's cursed I think," the blonde answered.

"Why isn't she awake?"

"Because of Ivan's work. The curse must've kept her alive but also asleep," Lucy explained.

Virgo replied, "That is true torture. To keep one alive but not awake so that their loved ones can suffer over their loss. Even I would not want a punishment like that. How do we wake her up?"

"True love's kiss! That's how all the curses are broken according to the stories in my world! I know things are different here, but I believe that'll help her! We need to get her to the King!"

Virgo nodded and reached for Mira. The moment her finger graced the girl's skin, however, the maid retracted her hand with wide eyes.

"She's ice cold," the pinkette stated. "The curse may have kept her alive without food and water, but it doesn't protect her from the cold."

"And it's winter," Lucy breathed out. "Then we need to get her somewhere warm first!"

"I believe there's no time, Princess. She needs warmth now."

Lucy's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Natsu! He can warm her up! We need to bring Natsu here so that he can keep her warm while transporting her to the castle and waking her up! Virgo, do you think you could find him while I stay here with Mira?"

To the blonde's disappointment, the maid shook her head and answered, "If I were to travel that great distance in time, I would need to tunnel my way there. Doing a small distance is one thing, but traveling through the entire woods is another. One wrong move and I could collapse the whole woods."

"What do we do then!?"

"There are other spirits you can summon, Princess."

Lucy retrieved her keys and sighed. "I can't summon Aquarius, and even if I could I don't think she would be of much help in this situation. Taurus and Cancer wouldn't be fast enough, same goes for the others."

"Did you forget about your newest key?" Virgo questioned as she plucked a golden key from the ring.

"Sagittarius?" the blonde asked. "I'll admit I did forget but would they be able to help?"

Virgo nodded. "I recommend you summon him and find out, Princess. Good luck. But before I go, I will make a hole in the ceiling. It will come in handy."

After making the hole and with a bright glow, the maid was gone, leaving Lucy to ponder her words. Not wasting any time, the blonde swished the key in the air and summoned Sagittarius. In the same light that Virgo disappeared in, another spirit emerged. It was a man with black hair and small eyes, but the most prominent characteristic of his was the horse costume he wore. Lucy decided to ask him about that later. For now…

"Moshi, moshi," the spirit greeted as he saluted her. "My name is Sagittarius."

"Hello, my name is Lucy!" the blonde greeted quickly. "And I need your help! This girl is freezing to death and I need my other friend to come here and warm her up! Is there any way you can help me with that!?"

The man studied the frantic girl and nodded. "Your friend is a dragon slayer, correct?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

"The spirits and I are always watching over you, moshi, moshi. I know how to help you."

"You do!?" Lucy asked, hope sprouting inside of her.

The spirit nodded and fetched the bow off of his back. After murmuring an advanced apology, he then plucked a hair off of Lucy's head and tied it around an arrow, which he then placed appropriately and aimed out of the hole Virgo made. In the blink of an eye, the arrow was gone.

"N-No offense, but how is that gonna help?" Lucy questioned.

"Your friend has heightened senses. He can follow the scent of the arrow back to us," Sagittarius answered.

"But how did you know where to aim? How do you know it got to him?"

"I am an excellent marksman. My arrow never misses. If that is all, I will be leaving now, moshi, moshi. You can summon me at another time so that we may make a contract. For now, you should save energy, moshi, moshi."

"Thank you so much, Sagittarius!" Lucy exclaimed.

And after saluting the blonde, the spirit went back through his gate. Lucy then cradled Mira against her, giving her whatever heat she could offer. But all she could truly do was wait for Natsu to arrive.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the opposite side of the woods, Natsu ran with the fastest speed he could while sniffing the air. Which allowed him to smell the incoming attack. Dodging in the nick of time, the boy avoiding getting pierced with an arrow flying faster than Happy could.

Natsu readied himself for another attack until he noticed the familiar scent the arrow was lingering with. Picking up the weapon, the dragon slayer studied it to find a golden strand of hair tied around it. It was Lucy's.

" _Why would Lucy attack me?"_ Natsu wondered. " _Unless this is her way of telling me she found Mira!"_

And just as Sagittarius predicted, the boy inhaled deeply before running towards the trail of Lucy's scent, completely intoxicated by it.

* * *

"You're gonna be okay, Mira," Lucy cooed as she held the other girl tightly against her. Just as Virgo said, Mira was ice cold and admittedly, the blonde wasn't much better. Though, she would probably live in the cold, but since Mira was out in it for so long, she probably wouldn't make it another day. She needed warmth, now. " _Where are you, Natsu? Please hurry!"_

Lucy stripped off her jacket and threw it over Mira's body, cursing herself for not thinking of doing so sooner. Though, it wasn't much help considering it was incredibly thin, mainly for design.

"I don't know if you can hear me or not," Lucy began, "but my name is Lucy Ashley. I'm a new friend of your siblings. We've been looking for you for almost a month now, but they've been looking for over a year. They really miss you. So much that the longing took over their heart and they are bickering now."

Not knowing what else to do, Lucy continued talking. "You three are a wonderful family. I've never had one before, but after being around your siblings, I think I got a pretty good idea of what it's supposed to be like. I hope that when I find my parents, we're just like you three. But I still don't know enough to meet my parents yet, so you need to stay alive so we can wake you up and you can teach me more, alright? I have to give you three a happy ending…"

Tears pricked the blonde's eyes as she repeated, "A happy ending… I recently got into a little argument about this. See, I'm the savior. I was teleported from another world and brought here to bring back everyone's happy endings. I freaked out a bit over this. I told my friends it was because of the pressure. That it was because I never asked for this… And it is true, I did have those thoughts but… That isn't why I was close to giving up on finding you. It's because… I'm here giving other people their happy endings, but who is going to give me mine? Who is going to save the savior?"

The tears Lucy had been holding in rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed, "I can grant everybody these happy endings but nobody can grant mine. I watch everyone gain happiness but I feel empty. Like there's a hole in my heart that can't be filled. Everyone is finding love or reuniting with family while all I ever had in my life was loneliness and questions of where my parents could be and why they aren't with me.

"I guess I became envious of everyone. I thought that if I couldn't have happiness, I shouldn't have to grant others it. How pathetic of me. I'm no better than the King that casted this curse in the first place. I'm despicable!" Tears landed on Mira's face as Lucy continued to cry. "But I'm not going to give up! I will grant you all happiness, even if I never get it in return!"

Lucy pulled Mira even tighter against her. She then wiped her tears. Crying wasn't going to get her anywhere.

To the girl's delight, Natsu appeared moments later, jumping through the hole in the ceiling and landing beside them.

"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. "Hurry! Mira is freezing to death! You need to warm her up as we carry her back to the cottage!"

Natsu wasted no time kneeling beside the two and hoisting Mira onto his back. He then leapt out of the hole, making sure not to drop Mira. Reaching into the hole, he grabbed Lucy's hand and lifted her up too.

"I'll raise my body temperature so that I can keep her warm," Natsu stated as they walked briskly through the woods.

Lucy nodded and replied, "Good. Let's hurry to the cottage."

"No."

"No?"

"The cottage isn't that much warmer than the woods thanks to the giant hole Elfman and I put in the wall. Besides, the castle isn't that much farther than their house. Let's bring her to Laxus first."

"I guess that's smart. He needs to kiss her to wake her up."

"Kiss her? Seriously? _That's_ how to break the curse?"

"I think so."

As they continued their journey, Natsu thought about what happened moments before.

 _He was on his way towards Lucy, and judging by her scent he was close. The boy willed himself to go faster, ecstatic to hear his favorite blonde's voice. Though, he wasn't too happy with what she was saying._

" _I'm here giving other people their happy endings, but who is going to give me mine? Who is going to save the savior?" he heard Lucy ask. Natsu could tell she was crying. "I can grant everybody these happy endings but nobody can grant mine. I watch everyone gain happiness but I feel empty. Like there's a hole in my heart that can't be filled. Everyone is finding love or reuniting with family while all I ever had in my life was loneliness and questions of where my parents could be and why they aren't with me."_

 _Natsu stopped just outside the hole as he continued to listen to his friend's complaints. He thought she was upset because there was too much pressure on her. Turned out it was something much deeper._

 _"I guess I became envious of everyone. I thought that if I couldn't have happiness, I shouldn't have to grant others it. How pathetic of me. I'm no better than the King that casted this curse in the first place. I'm despicable! But I'm not going to give up! I will grant you all happiness, even if I never get it in return!"_

 _Natsu took that as his cue to jump in._

Natsu couldn't get that unrequited conversation out of his mind. To think that Lucy was hurting that much pained him. He could understand her frustrations. He could only imagine what he would feel watching others getting what they want while he got nothing but another happy ending to deliver.

"Hey, Lucy…" Natsu hesitantly began.

"Yeah?" Lucy asked with an arched brow.

"I heard what you said to Mira earlier," the pinkette stated. He saw the blonde tense in the corner of his eye.

"Y-You did?"

"Yeah. And I wanted to tell you," Natsu began, stopping in his tracks to face Lucy with upmost sincerity, "I'll give you your happy ending."

Lucy's cheeks flushed pink as her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open. "Y-You'll what?"

"I'm going to give you your happy ending. You're worried you won't get one, right? Well I'll make sure you do no matter what," the boy stated, grinning at the blonde. "After all, the story ain't complete until the savior gets a happy ending too. I won't give up on you. We'll find your happiness together."

"You really mean that?" Lucy breathed out as tears pricked her eyes once again. "That's a pretty big promise."

"I don't go back on my word," Natsu replied.

The two stared into each other's eyes under the moonlight. Their cheeks were rosy, but both told themselves it was because of the heat Natsu was providing. Still, it didn't explain why their stomachs were churning with butterflies.

* * *

 **AN:** Tbh I really loved the ending to this chapter. It's still one of my fav moments of the story. :') Hope you all enjoyed! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, HollyDragneel, Lunahartz, Flire and Ice, ThayetJade, Soul Eater Maka, Hsdust, Alexa60765, Leahcar-Soutaichou, IndianaCombs, Arethelya.** And everyone that followed/faved! There were a few of you! :D


	24. Chapter 24

**AN:** This chapter is the end of the arc. :') QOTD: Do you have/want any tattoos? :) I have one on my left arm that is the kanji for first love. (My boyfriend has it too.) Cheesy, I know lol. I also want a sleeve but I'm very picky so I haven't been able to find a design I really like. :')

Anyways, I'm so glad you liked the ending to the last chapter as much as I did. :') I am trying really hard to pace the story well!

* * *

Chapter 24

Multiple Reunions

As the sun began to replace the moon in the sky, Lucy and Natsu were ecstatic to finally see the castle as they approached Magnolia, the latter still carrying Mira's limp body. This motivated them to go even faster, their tired muscles now rejuvenated. They rushed through the streets of Magnolia and towards the castle. Unfortunately, the castle was bustling with people, slowing them down. Lucy bumped into somebody and fell on her bum.

"Sorry about that!" the blonde exclaimed, quickly rising to her feet to continue their journey.

"Lucy?" a familiar voice questioned.

The said girl looked with wide eyes to find a familiar redhead and blunette smiling at her. "Erza! And Jellal! What are you two doing here!?" Talk about a small world. Bumping into them was a blessing.

"We just got back from visiting my grandfather in Rosemary," Erza answered. The armored girl then glanced at her dragon slayer counterpart, startled to find an unconscious and dirt-covered girl on his back. "Who is that?"

"The next person we have to grant a happy ending to," Natsu answered. "She was put under a sleeping curse by Ivan and hidden from everyone. She was freezing to death but I think I warmed her up enough now. We need to hurry up and take her to the King, Lucy!"

"To the King?" Jellal repeated. "You mean King Dreyar?"

"Yes," Lucy answered. "The rumors about King Dreyar falling in love with a girl and losing her to Ivan is true. That was why he created that law which hindered you, Erza. He needs to wake her up with true love's kiss before her siblings separate. But I don't think we're going to make it in time with the rate they're going!"

"Leave that to us," Erza stated. "Follow me! I'll take you to the castle in a magic mobile!"

Natsu greened at the thought but obediently followed. Now wasn't the time to complain about his comfort, not when people's lives were at stake. Still, the moment he stepped in the vehicle, his body turned to goo and he slouched in the seat like a puddle. Erza's maniac-like driving didn't help either, though it did manage to get the group to the castle in record timing.

"We're here to see the King! It's urgent!" Jellal informed the guards, who let them in without any questions. That was one of the perks of helping defeat Ivan, they were allowed into the castle at any time.

"We have to hurry!" Lucy exclaimed, running down the halls while the rest followed. Even though she had only been to the castle once nearly a month ago, the girl still knew where to go.

Soon enough, they were standing outside of the grand doors to Laxus' throne room. Lucy didn't bother to knock or announce her presence and simply barged in.

Laxus, who was sitting in his throne, whipped his head to face the intruders, about to scold them for their rude entry when his eyes landed on Mira. His mouth parted as he jumped to his feet and dashed towards them, followed by his grandfather.

"Mira!" the man exclaimed. "What's wrong with her!? What happened!?"

"She's still under a sleeping curse!" Lucy answered. "Your dad, Ivan, placed it on her! She was hidden in the forest behind a rock wall!"

"She was close to freezing to death," Natsu added as he gently placed the unconscious girl on the ground.

Laxus narrowed his eyes at Lucy and asked, "Well? Aren't you the savior? Why didn't you wake her up yet?"

"Because she can't," Makarov answered. "Only an act of true love can break the curse. That must be why they brought her here."

Laxus nodded in understanding and turned his attention back to Mira. Even in her sleep she looked like an absolute goddess. Wasting no time, the man leaned forward and gently placed his lips among Mira's, noting how cold they were. Even though Mira couldn't kiss back, Laxus' heart still warmed at the action.

Within seconds, Mira's blue eyes fluttered open as she gasped for air. Laxus backed away quickly and grinned at the silver-haired girl, who was squinting as she took in her surroundings.

Mira let out a quiet groan as she surveyed the room. The lights were much too bright for her eyes considering she could only see darkness for over a year and there were strangers surrounding her. But the sight of her true love smiling at her made the difficulties vanish and instead filled her heart with joy.

"Laxus," Mira breathed out, tears brimming her eyes. "You saved me."

"Actually, _they_ saved you," the said man corrected, gesturing towards Lucy and Happy. "They found you in the woods where Ivan hid you away and brought you here so that I could wake you up."

Mira arched a brow and glanced at the two. One was a man with pink hair and a fanged grin, the other was a girl with golden hair and warm, brown eyes that were pooling with happy tears.

"Glad to see you're okay," the blonde stated with a gentle smile.

Mira gave a wide grin as she exclaimed, "Lucy!" The girl jumped to her feet and tackled the confused blonde in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Lucy! You saved me!"

"Wait, how do you know my name?" the said girl questioned.

"Under the spell, I was still able to hear things around me. Your voice was the first voice I heard since Ivan cursed me," Mira answered, still hugging the girl. "Thank you for saving me and looking out for my brother and sister."

"Don't mention it," Lucy replied with a smile.

Mira then glanced at Natsu and exclaimed, "You must be Natsu!"

The pinkette grinned and nodded his head. Temporarily forgetting his alias amidst the carefree vibe in the air, he continued, "Yep! I'm Natsu Dragneel, the one that made sure you didn't freeze to death!"

"Thank you for that! Ahh, now that I can place faces with your names, I love your relationship even more now!"

"Relationship?" the two questioned in unison while their cheeks pinked.

"Aren't you two a couple?" Mira asked in return. "After you told Lucy you were going to give Lucy her happy ending, I assumed you were a couple!"

"We aren't a couple!" Lucy corrected, frantically waving her arms while the rest of the group chuckled at the two's misery.

"Hmm, maybe not yet," Mira chirped happily.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Laxus asked worriedly. He didn't know if a sleeping curse had side effects or not and it would've been good to know ahead of time.

Mira nodded and smiled at the man. "I'm fine. But I need to see my family!"

"She's right," Lucy stated. "There's no telling what they're up to right now."

"I'll come with you," Laxus said as he helped Mira to her feet.

"But what about your kingly duties?" the girl asked.

"Let's just say I'm having a sick day. Now let's go."

With that, the group was off again and towards the magic mobile. This time Jellal offered to drive, knowing that Erza's driving may not be the best for someone that just got out of something like a coma. They arrived the woods' edge in minutes and raced through the trees. Laxus offered to carry Mira on her back, but the girl refused. She wasn't weak enough to need that and it would be faster if she ran on her own.

It took hours but eventually the group found breadcrumbs, leading them to the cottage. Mira's steps quickened as the thought of seeing her family again flashed in her mind. Over a year passed since she saw them last. She had so many questions. Did they still look the same? Did they find love of their own? Were they truly on terrible terms?

Mira and the rest stopped outside of the cottage, panting for air. Lisanna and Elfman's bickering could be heard from outside. Not wanting to waste another second, the oldest Strauss sibling rushed into her home. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of her siblings pacing back and forth during an argument.

"Lisanna… Elfman…" Mira breathed out, tears brimming her eyes.

The two froze at the sudden voice and slowly turned their heads, scared that their hopes were only going to get crushed. To their absolute delight, their missing sister was standing in front of them with a teary smile. That, or their eyes were playing tricks on them.

"Mira-nee?" Lisanna asked, stepping towards the other silver-headed girl. "I-Is that really you?"

"It is," Mira answered, holding her arms out for a hug.

Lisanna and Elfman gasped before running towards their sister, engulfing her in the tightest of hugs she had ever experienced. The three wept tears of mirth as they fell to their knees in the completely blissful situation. After a year of longing and tears, the Strauss siblings were finally reunited, and they had no intention of splitting up ever again. Which reminded Mira…

"What do you two think you're doing arguing like that?" Mira questioned sternly.

Lisanna and Elfman's eyes widened at the thought of what they were doing before their sister returned and were hit with waves of regret and guilt. Everything they said to each other was heartbreaking and they wished they could take it back more than anything.

"I'm so sorry, Elf-nii!" Lisanna cried, tackling her older brother into a hug. "I didn't mean any of it!"

"I'm sorry too, Lisanna!" the boy sobbed. "I don't know what came over me! The things I said weren't manly at all!"

"It was fate," Lucy stated as she wiped away a happy tear from her eye. "I think it was the book's way of telling me that I needed to hurry, so maybe it was controlling you in a way."

"That still doesn't take back what we said," Lisanna replied glumly. "But at least we're better now, right Elf-nii?"

"Right," her brother answered with a smile.

The group smiled while Mira embraced her siblings in silence. Nobody said a word, scared that it would ruin the blissful moment. Lucy hoped her reunion with her parents would be just as happy as theirs.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy groaned as she woke up on the hard floor of the cottage. Since Mira returned, the blonde didn't feel right letting the other girl sleep on the floor- like she had been for the year she was cursed- and volunteered to give up her spot on the bed. Her body ached from her decision but she knew she would be fine.

" _Maybe I can convince Natsu to give me a back massage later,"_ Lucy thought, chuckling to herself. Glancing around the room, the girl found that she was the only one in the small home. " _Where is everyone?"_ She was going to search for her friends but then realized she should probably shower to get rid of the dirt and sweat that covered her body.

After a rushed shower, Lucy felt much more refreshed and her body was thanking her in relief. The blonde smiled at her outfit: a green crop top with white hems and a pink pleated skirt. Back in Earth she never would've worn that outfit due to its mismatched colors, but she quickly learned that in Earthland, mismatching outfits were apparently in style.

Finally ready, Lucy left the small home to meet up with her friends. They were all standing outside in a makeshift circle as they talked intensely about something. When they heard Lucy's footsteps, they quickly closed their mouths and stared at her, some with wide eyes, making the blonde nervous.

"Umm, what are you all talking about?" Lucy questioned, looking into Natsu's eyes for answers, though she was unable to find any.

"I was just telling them about our next mission," Natsu lied. He didn't feel right lying to Lucy but there was no way he was going to confess that they were talking about her being the Lost Princess.

"Oh. What is our next story anyways?" Lucy asked.

"U-Umm, I meant that I was telling them that we have to leave for our next mission. I don't actually know the story yet, Happy has the book. Isn't that right, Happy?"

"A-Aye!" Happy chimed in.

"Oh," Lucy simply replied. "So we're leaving now?"

"Aww, but I wanted to get to know you better, Lucy!" Mira whined. "There's so much we have to talk about! Like your soon-to-be relationship with Natsu!"

"That's not gonna happen!" the two said people shouted together with flushed cheeks.

"We should get going too," Erza stated, ignoring the three's antics. "It was good seeing you three again. And it was also nice to meet you three and to see the King once again. But Jellal and I have business to attend to. Let us know if you ever need anything, Lucy."

"I will," Lucy replied with a smile as she waved them off.

"I'll head to the castle and fill in for you," Makarov told Laxus. "But make sure you don't take too long, the kingdom still needs you."

"Yeah, yeah," the King replied. "I'll be back in a few days."

"I guess all that's left is you three," Lisanna stated with a sad smile.

"I guess so," Lucy replied. "I would love to stay longer but the book waits for nobody. Who knows what the next character is up to right now?"

"Before you go, Lucy," Mira began as she pulled the blonde away from the rest of the group, "I want to give you something."

Lucy arched a brow as she was given what looked like a blue crystal ball. "What is this?"

"It's a communication lacrima," Mira answered. "You use magic and we can talk to each other."

"Oh so it's like a phone!"

"A what?"

"Never mind. Thanks for the lacrima, Mira."

"Don't mention it," the girl replied with a gentle smile. "And Lucy… I wanted to let you know that I heard what you said when you were talking to me while I was cursed. I wanted to tell you that you aren't a terrible person at all. Everyone gets a little envious at times, what matters is that you overcame your negative feelings and chose the right path anyways."

Lucy stared wide-eyed at Mira. "Y-You really think so?"

"I know so. And one last word of advice… I know you're looking your family and I'm not telling you to stop but… Sometimes people related to you by blood aren't your family."

"What?"

Mira frowned and answered, "Sometimes, the people that are supposed to be your family just aren't. Take my siblings and I for example. Our parents abandoned us. They are not our family."

"You're telling me you think my parents abandoned me?" Lucy asked, hurt spreading through her.

"No! What I'm trying to say is you might not like what you find when you finally meet your parents and I want you to know that even though those related to you by blood aren't your family, you still have a family right in front of you. And that is Natsu and Happy. And even me, Lisanna and Elfman! I just want you to be careful and I want you to have the happy ending you deserve."

"Thank you, Mira. For worrying about me. I wondered about my parents my whole life and no matter what our situation is, I am going to find them. The truth is better than not knowing."

Mira smiled and nodded. "I guess this is goodbye then."

Lucy returned the look and replied, "I guess it is."

The two girls hugged each other tightly before Natsu told them it was time to leave.

"Goodbye, Lucy! And Natsu and Happy!" Lisanna cried as the trio walked away. "Wait a second... Natsu? I thought your name was Flynn!"

Natsu cackled and replied, "Surprise!"

"Make sure to visit sometime!" Mira added.

"Yes! Visiting is manly!" Elfman chimed in.

"We will!" Lucy shouted back.

"Bye!" Happy cried while Natsu just waved.

And with that, they were on their next adventure.

* * *

 **AN:** Hansel and Gretel and the Sleeping Beauty arc is finally done. :') The next arc is definitely the longest haha. And also most complicated lmao. Can you guys guess what story it is? ;D

As always, thank you so much to the reviewers: **Flire and Ice, TheDigitalDork, Leahcar-Soutaichou, Lunahartz, MuffinMalonez, Soul Eater Maka, SunsetFairyMe, Alexa60765, NoOneImportant, ThayetJade, Nalulove, CelestialLunaPanda-Senpai, Mezatron, Hsdust, Arethelya, IndianaCombs.** Thank you for keeping me motivated to write. :')


	25. Chapter 25

**AN:** Very short amount of time before the next arc haha! Sorry about that! Probably should've added more fillers lol. Ready to find out the next story? :') And who it is in the FT world? :D A lot of you actually guessed it even though I didn't give any hints haha! You guy are good at guessing!

QOTD: What are some of your hobbies? Other than writing, I love nail art. :)

* * *

Chapter 25

Portals

"So where are we going?" Lucy asked as she followed behind Natsu and Happy. They had been walking in the woods for over an hour before she realized she had no clue where they were headed.

Natsu stopped in his tracks before chuckling and rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I thought you were leading the way."

"What!?" Lucy screeched in irritation. "I was behind you! How would I be leading the way!?"

"I don't know!"

"You're an idiot!"

"And you're a weirdo!"

"Ugh, stop flirting in front of me!" Happy complained.

"WE AREN'T FLIRTING!" the two argued in unison.

"Anyways," Lucy began, "I guess to figure out where we should go we need to read the book."

"Aye!" Happy replied as he dug through his knapsack and retrieved the thick book. The cat flipped through the pages until he landed on their next story. "This one's called Frozen."

"I love that story!" Lucy gushed as she plopped onto the ground, Natsu and Happy following in suit.

"Go ahead and read it, buddy!" Natsu encouraged.

Happy nodded and read aloud, "Once upon a time, there was a princess named Elsa. Elsa had long, white hair and the ability to wield ice."

"Ice? That's lame," Natsu scoffed.

Happy snickered and continued, "As a child, Elsa lived happily with her parents, the King and Queen of Arendelle. But after a monster ravaged their kingdom, Elsa's parents lost their lives fending it off."

"Wow, this is definitely different from my version," Lucy whistled. "Go on!"

"Elsa continued living as princess but was soon adopted by a nice family. She found happiness once again with her adoptive mother and two siblings until one day, the same monster that killed her parents returned and her adoptive mother died in order to seal it away. Soon after that, Elsa and her two siblings grew distant and cold towards one another. They blamed Elsa for their mother's death and eventually left her alone in her castle."

"I feel kinda bad for this girl," Natsu stated.

Happy nodded and continued, "Elsa remained a kind ruler, though she locked herself away in her castle so that nobody could see her. After losing so much, the girl refused to open her heart to anyone so as not to get hurt anymore. The Princess withered away in sadness and isolation, until one day one of her siblings returned and killed her."

"That story sucks!" Natsu shouted angrily. "Those siblings were terrible!"

"They were," Lucy agreed. "That definitely isn't the story I love."

"How does the story go in your world?" Happy asked.

"Well, Elsa only had one sibling, a sister named Anna. Her parents were lost at sea, not killed by a demon. And Elsa's sadness stems from the fact that she can't control her powers. Oh, and Anna doesn't blame her at all. But they are distant because Elsa is scared of hurting people but eventually they make up."

"How?"

"Anna was going to marry some guy she just met and Elsa forbid it, they got into a huge argument, and then Elsa's powers were revealed. She ran away and hid while Anna went on an adventure with a guy named Kristoff to find her and bring her back. But Elsa accidentally froze her heart and then Anna completely froze. But her act of true love, a hug, thawed the ice!"

"That story is definitely nicer," Natsu stated. "This story sounds a lot like Hansel and Gretel though with the whole siblings separating stuff."

"It does," Lucy replied. "But the problem isn't reuniting them, it's fixing their relationship. That's actually harder considering we don't really know anything about them and gaining forgiveness is a hard thing to do."

"But you'll make sure it happens," Natsu replied with a reassuring grin.

Lucy smiled and nodded. "Right! Do you two have any ideas where to go now that you know the story?" The two shook their heads. The blonde fished inside of Happy's knapsack and retrieved her present from Mira. "I guess we'll be using this then."

"Where did you get that?" Happy asked.

"Mira gave it to me in case I ever needed help with anything. How do I use this anyways?"

"Channel your magic into it," Natsu instructed. "Think of who you want to talk to while you do it."

Lucy nodded and closed her eyes, placing her had on the lacrima as she concentrated. Magic stirred inside of her, but she had long since gotten to that feeling, though at first she never thought it would be possible.

"Lucy? Did you need something?" a familiarly sweet voice asked.

The said girl opened her eyes and grinned at Mira's puzzled face. "I did it!"

"Did what?" Mira questioned.

"I called you! I figured out how to work this thing!"

"Oh. Well good job!"

"Who is that?" a familiar, deep voice questioned. Laxus then appeared in the lacrima with hard eyes. "Seriously? You three need help already?"

"Don't be rude, Laxus!" Mira chastised. "What do you need help with, Lucy?"

"I need help figuring out where to go," the blonde answered. She retold the story of Frozen and waited for their answers. Mira was a bawling mess, blubbering about how awful the story was and how sad she would be if her siblings ever killed her. Meanwhile, Laxus chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Natsu asked.

Laxus laughed again and answered, "I know who this Elsa person is."

"You do?" Lucy questioned, hope sprouting within her.

"Yep. And since you saved Mira, I guess I can tell you where you can find them. In Mt. Hakobe, there is a castle."

"You mean like Ivan's?"

"Yeah but not so dark. Find that castle and you'll find _Elsa,"_ Laxus answered, laughing as he said the character's name. Once he calmed down, he continued, "It's not too far. It's closer to you than Magnolia is." With that said, Laxus hung up without saying goodbye.

"I know where the mountains are," Natsu replied. "I've never been there before but that's where Happy and I were headed when we met you."

"So you can take us there?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, it'll take a day or two of walking but we'll get there eventually."

With that, the three began their journey once again, which miraculously was in the direction they were already headed. Lucy was glad they didn't have to turn around. They walked again in comfortable silence, save for Lucy's occasional complaints about how sore she was. After another hour's walk, the trio found themselves standing at the top of a hill with no trees surrounding them.

Lucy awed at the sight until her eyes landed on mountains that were a great distance away.

"Let me guess," she began, "those mountains _all the way over there_ are the ones we need to go to."

"Yep," Natsu replied with a smirk. "Think you can make it?"

"I think my legs will turn to jelly and you'll have to carry me there but yeah, we'll make it."

So, the three kept waking until day turned to night and it was time to set up camp. They were still a day's travel away from Mt. Hakobe, but they were definitely getting closer, which was indicated by the thin sheet of snow that covered the ground.

"I should've borrowed a warm jacket from Mira!" Lucy complained, rubbing her arms. The girl could see her own breath, which was fascinating but bad at the same time. It was way too cold, especially with the crop-top and skirt she was wearing.

"Too late now," Natsu replied as he started a fire, to which the blonde scurried next to. "You should've brought warmer clothes from your world."

"I was teleported, I didn't exactly have time to choose my wardrobe!" the girl countered.

"What was that like anyways?" Happy inquired as he sat by Lucy and handed her, her blanket.

Lucy put a finger to her chin in thought and answered, "It was actually a really bad experience if I'm being honest. It started with my body getting hotter and hotter by the second, I thought my blood was literally boiling. Then my head felt heavy, like when you've had too many drinks. My body felt completely drained, which I know now is because I used magic. My head was killing me!"

"What happened next?"

"I remember the pain suddenly stopping before a bright glow came from my keys, which I didn't know were magical at the time. Then the portal just opened underneath me and I fell through."

"Have you opened another portal since?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy shook her head and answered, "Nope. I honestly forgot about it for a while. I just never thought of doing it I guess."

"But what if you could just make a portal back into your world?" Happy asked. "That way you didn't have to finish the stories."

Lucy's eyes widened. " _He's right. If I just make a portal back into my world, I can go home and search for my parents. I won't be the savior anymore."_

Natsu watched Lucy with hard eyes and crossed arms. He knew that being the savior wasn't something the blonde was particularly happy about, but he hoped that she would at least stay until she finished. Still, whether she stayed or not was her decision and he would stay quiet so as to not selfishly influence her.

Lucy grabbed her keys and stared at them. When the first portal showed up, the girl didn't summon any of her spirits, they just glowed. Perhaps she had to channel her magic differently into her keys to create a portal. Maybe she had to think about what she wanted just like when she had to think of Mira to contact her through the lacrima.

Closing her eyes, Lucy concentrated and channeled her magic into the keys. She made sure to distribute it evenly so as not to accidentally summon a spirit. Then she tried to think about her home. She started broad, thinking about the city of Seattle, but all she could remember about it was the Space Needle, something she wasn't very interested in, in the first place. Narrowing her searches, the girl then tried to think of her apartment, but nothing was really coming to mind.

" _Why can't I remember? Have I really been here that long?"_ Lucy wondered as she bit her bottom lip. " _No, it can't be that. I've only been here about a month and a half. I should remember! Unless… Unless I don't remember because there wasn't really anything special to remember."_

In Seattle, Lucy did nothing but eat, sleep, and work. Her apartment was never really a home to her, only a place to sleep, and she wasn't fond of Seattle at all. It was dangerous, dirty, and polluted. How could she ever call either of those her home? Even though the girl knew it was true, she couldn't leave it at that. If she did, it meant she would never be able to return.

"I guess I can't teleport home right now," Lucy stated as she opened her eyes, finding Natsu and Happy staring at her with wonder. "Maybe it's just not possible unless I finish the book."

"Maybe," Happy replied. "Well, we're going to start the third story tomorrow so you'll be back home in no time. If that's what you still want."

"Of course it is," the blonde replied, ignoring the part of her that screamed it wasn't. "I want to get back to Earth as soon as possible."

Natsu studied Lucy intently. She was tense and biting her bottom lip rather hard. He didn't need to hear her fluctuating heartbeat to know that she was lying. Whether she knew it or not, Lucy didn't want to go back home. And if she didn't want to, the boy was going to make sure she didn't.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy stretched her arms above her head as she yawned, the sun's rays waking her up. Turning her head, the girl found Natsu lying beside her, his face calm and peaceful. A rosy tint appeared on the blonde's cheeks as she noticed their close proximity.

" _This is just like that time before we got to Mira's place,"_ Lucy thought. This time, however, her heart was calmer and she didn't feel the urge to move away. Instead, with unconsciously moving fingers, she brushed away pink locks of hair that were curtaining the boy's face. " _He's actually pretty cute. And even though the pink hair is rare, he pulls it off well."_

"Is there a reason you're touching me, weirdo?" a sudden voice questioned. Natsu peered at Lucy through one eye, which she never noticed had opened. A lazy smirk was resting on his face.

Lucy retracted her hand at the speed of light and jumped away like a cat thrown in water. Her face was a blushing mess as she lied, "I-I wasn't touching you! You're the weird one for thinking I was!"

Natsu cackled as he sat up and faced the flustered blonde. He could see the blush on her face and the embarrassment she felt and it amused him. Nobody ever amused him like Lucy did.

"She's lying," Happy suddenly said with a smirk. "She was touching you."

"HAPPY!" Lucy screeched, running for the exceed, who only cackled and flew away.

"It's okay, Luce! Everyone knows you're weird like that!" Natsu teased.

The blonde faced the boy and planted her hands on her hips while narrowing her eyes. "Then you're a weirdo too!"

"Huh? How? You were the one touching me!"

"Well you touched me before we got to Mira's place!"

Natsu swallowed thickly as his eyes widened and a blush settled over his cheeks. "N-No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!" Lucy argued with a smug look on her face.

"How would you know if you were sleeping!?"

"Because I wasn't sleeping!"

"So you were pretending so that I would touch you?"

"No way! I just didn't want to wake you up!"

"Sure you didn't."

"It's true!"

"Stop flirting already!" Happy exclaimed, though the grin on his face betrayed his words.

"We weren't flirting!" Lucy denied, surprised that Natsu didn't shout it as well. Usually whenever somebody accused them of flirting, both would deny it in unison. "Anyways, let's get going already. Elsa isn't gonna wait forever!"

With that, the trio packed their things and resumed their journey. It took them nearly all day until they finally made it to the mountains. By then, their legs were sore, their feet were aching, and their bodies were drenched in sweat despite the freezing temperature.

Natsu lent Lucy his coat while the three carefully followed the carved path up the icy mountain, making sure not to slip. Even though the mountain was slippery, it wasn't windy unlike the mountain Ivan's castle sat on. At least they didn't have to worry about flying off. They just had to worry about slipping. And then falling to their deaths. But they weren't going to think of that.

"Why does everyone put their freaking castle on a mountain?" Lucy irately asked. "This is not convenient in the slightest!"

"It helps against enemy attacks," Natsu informed her. "After climbing the mountain, they already used a bunch of energy so it's easy to defeat them."

"Okay fine, it's a little convenient. But not for me."

Once they reached the land just beyond the castle, the three collapsed to the snowy ground in pants. Lucy wasn't even able to feel how cold it was because she was too busy trying to regain her breath. That is, until she felt something cold encircling her ankles. Looking down at her body, she found that there were cuffs made of ice.

" _Wait a second,"_ Lucy thought, " _these are made from magic. Magic ice…"_

"Who are you three?" a sudden, deep voice questioned threateningly. "If you're Ivan's pawns, I'll just knock you right off the mountain."

Lucy turned to face the man and saw that he was rather handsome. He had spiky black hair, longer than Natsu's, and had dark blue eyes that were deep with mystery. He wore a white trench coat and a silver necklace of a sword. First there was Natsu, Laxus, and now this boy. Earthland was swarming with attractive men.

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!" Natsu barked with a fanged grin as he broke out of his cuffs.

The man smirked and stretched his arms out in front of him, one on top of the other forming a fist as cold air blew through. He was going to use magic.

"Alright," the dark-haired boy replied. "I'll start with you, Pinky."

"Bring it, Ice Princess!"

Just as the two were going to clash, Lucy stepped in between them. Luckily they stopped just in time before hitting her.

"Wait!" the blonde ordered before facing the man. "Would you happen to be the Prince here?"

The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes at Lucy in suspicion before answering, "Yeah. Name's Gray Fullbuster. Now what are you three doing up here? Are you working for Ivan?"

"No," Lucy answered. "In fact, we're some of the people that defeated him."

Gray's eyes widened as he asked, "You defeated Ivan?"

"Yes. So let me get this straight, you're the Prince here that uses ice magic, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

Lucy sighed as she turned to face Natsu and Happy. She then said, "Turns out Laxus has a sense of humor after all."

"What do you mean?" Happy asked.

Lucy gestured towards Gray and answered, "Well, meet Elsa."

* * *

 **AN:** So Princess Elsa happens to be Gray lol. :') Alright, so this arc is definitely the longest and probably most complicated arc but I actually like it so I hope you guys do too. :') Please review guys. :')

 **Flire and Ice:** Hello! :D I honestly have no idea if I'll go back to updating twice a week for War. I REALLY want to but it's admittedly nice having so much time to write for it and the chapters have gotten longer because of it. I think that it depends on my school schedule. I start new classes next week so if it leaves me more time, then I'll probably get back to posting twice a week. :)

 **Sblackw:** Merida will not be in this story, sorry. :') And that is a good question! There are technically be 10 stories in the storybook, but there are only nine arcs! We've already finished three! :)

Thank you as always to the reviewers: **Arethelya, Alexa60765, IndianaCombs, TheDigitalDork, Lena, Guest, Cinder Fall 39, Soul Eater Maka, MuffinMalonez, ThayetJade, Lunahartz, Flire and Ice, Nalulove, CFG, cureheart1023, Still-On-Hiatus, Sblackw.**


	26. Chapter 26

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D A bit of a short chapter today, sorry! QOTD: What is your dream job? :) I have so many! But I think my dream job would be to own a bakery. But I'm not even good at baking lmao. :')

* * *

Chapter 26

Elsa

"Wait, what?" Happy asked. "You're saying that Gray is Elsa?"

"Who?" the dark-haired boy questioned. "What are you talking about?"

Lucy sighed again as she faced Natsu. His cheeks were puffed and his eyes were squinted as if he was stifling a laugh. In seconds, his obnoxious laughter filled the chilly air.

Natsu pointed at Gray and shouted between laughs, "You actually are an ice princess!"

A vein in Gray's forehead ticked as he asked, "What did you say, Pinky!?"

"I said you're an ice princess! Elsa, wow. That name sure is fitting for a prick like you!"

Gray growled before lunging towards Natsu, knocking the boy over and into the snow. The two rolled back and forth, throwing merciless punches and kicks. Lucy was just glad they weren't using magic. But soon enough, their punches turned fiery and icy.

"Stop it, you two!" Lucy demanded, grabbing both boys by their collars. "I'm freezing, exhausted, and sleepy! I don't have time to deal with your stupid argument! Now take me inside and give me food!"

The two boys paled at the blonde's wrath.

"Your girlfriend is scary," Gray whispered to Natsu.

The pinkette nodded and replied, "She ain't my girlfriend, but yeah she can be terrifying."

"Shut it," Lucy ordered before dropping their collars and letting them fall to the ground. Addressing Gray, she continued, "Can you take us back to your castle now? We have a lot to talk about but I would like to pee somewhere that isn't a bush first."

Gray stood and brushed the snow off of his clothing. "Since you defeated Ivan, I guess I can let you in. But your pryo friend here isn't allowed to touch anything."

Before Natsu could protest, Lucy replied, "Deal."

With that, the four were headed towards the castle. Since they weren't too far, they managed to reach it within minutes. Lucy reveled in the castle's warmth as she was escorted by one of Gray's staff to the nearest bathroom. The blonde marveled at the modern bathroom before locking the door, pulling her skirt down, and plopping onto the toilet. Even after finishing her business, the girl stayed glued to the toilet because her legs felt like jelly from all of the walking.

There was a knock at the door as Natsu's voice called out, "Lucy, you good? Are you taking a shit?"

Lucy glared at the door and shouted, "No! I'm just peeing, idiot! Now leave me alone!" The blonde could hear his mischievous laughter along with his footsteps. " _I guess I'll go out there now."_

After washing her hands, Lucy leisurely walked back the way she came. Taking her time, the girl admired the works of art that were placed around the castle, most of them being ice sculptures that miraculously weren't melting or paintings regarding snow. When the blonde finally reached the others, she was surprised- and annoyed- to find Natsu and Gray duking it out once again, the latter only clad in boxers for some reason, while Happy laughed and watched.

"Why are you two fighting again!?" Lucy screeched. "Stop it already! We have important things to talk about!"

The two boys reluctantly seized their fighting but continued to glare at each other as they sat cross-legged on the floor.

"He started it!" Natsu claimed, pointing at Gray.

The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes even more and argued, "No I didn't! He did!"

"Liar! I came back and this guy was stripping! I told him I was flattered but I'm not into snowmen!"

"And I told him that I'm not gay and that I would never like someone with such an ugly face!"

With that, the two were at each other's throats once again. Lucy sighed as she walked towards a vase with a surprisingly living flower and inserted a golden key into the water.

"Open, Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!" the blonde shouted. Water cycloned out of the vase, more than what was originally in it, along with a golden glow. Amongst the water was a familiar mermaid spirit with her hair slicked back and her normal annoyed expression plastered to her face.

Aquarius was about to nag Lucy about summoning her from a dirty vase until she heard bickering. Turning to find the culprits, the spirit found that it was her owner's annoying pink-headed friend and some other punk, though she recognized the latter as well.

" _This brat is the Fullbusters' kid. He sure grew up to be a brat, just like Lucy,"_ Aquarius thought. Losing her patience, the woman drew back her urn and thrust it towards the two. Water shot out of the object in such a high-speed it actually damaged the room and effectively separated the boys. It was like jets of water shooting out of a gun.

Gray and Natsu were caught in the water and thrashed around. Even Lucy was mixed in as well, despite being the one to summon Aquarius. Happy laughed from above as he flew out of the water's reach. That is, until Aquarius found his laughter annoying and sent it towards him as well. They all swirled around the room, growing dizzy and bumping into furniture.

Gray narrowed his eyes at the intruder and began freezing the water. "You'll have to do more than that, mermaid!"

Aquarius looked at the Prince and a vein in her forehead ticked. "Huh? What did you just call me, _brat?_ Doesn't matter if you can freeze water as long as I give you too much to freeze!" Which is exactly what the spirit did. Once she deemed them all punished enough, the mermaid scoffed. "What a pathetic bunch of brats. I'm leaving now."

Lucy groaned as she sat up, her head feeling incredibly heavy and woozy. "T-Thanks, Aquarius. But you didn't have to drag me in as well."

"That spirit is a demon!" Natsu exclaimed, still splayed across a fallen table. "She's scarier than Erza!"

"You guys know Erza?" Gray questioned as he forced his body to get up, though he was still wobbly. "She's one of the scariest people I know. She used to kick my ass whenever I accidentally stripped in front of her."

"Pervert," Natsu quipped.

"I'm not a pervert! It's just a habit I've had since I was a kid!"

"You have a stripping problem?" Lucy asked skeptically. "That's a little hard to believe, don't you think? But I guess that isn't important right now. My name is Lucy Ashley and these are my friends, Happy and Flynn."

"Nice to meet you, Lucy. And Happy. But not Ash for Brains," Gray replied.

Before the two could fight again, Lucy quickly asked, "Are you familiar with the King's curse?"

"You mean King Heartfilia's?" the boy questioned in return before nodding. "Yeah, I know about it. It takes away our happy endings, right?"

"Yes. Well, I happen to be the savior to that curse and to break it, I need to give everyone in this certain book a happy ending."

Gray arched a brow. "Book? What book?"

Happy retrieved the said book, which was miraculously left dry. Gray accepted it with a nod before flipping through the first few pages.

"This story is about Erza!" he exclaimed after reading the story of Mulan.

"How do you know about Erza anyways?" Happy questioned. "She was disguised as a guy named Ping."

"I met her when she came here with Jellal to warn me about King Dreyar's plan. He was trying to take over my kingdom. That's why I thought you three were attackers at first. Anyways, I challenged her to a fight because she was always nagging me about things and I accidentally cut her hair tie and then it became obvious what her situation was. She threatened that if I told anyone she would give me a painful death."

"I bet you almost shit yourself," Natsu stated with a smirk.

Gray shrugged and answered, "Coming from Erza, yeah. The girl is a demon. Anyways, what does this have to do with me?"

Lucy sat in front of the boy and flipped through the book until it landed on the story Frozen. "Well, just like how Erza is Mulan, you're a character in this book too. But all of these stories are wrong about some things. Some are more different than others. Yours happens to be _really_ different."

Gray glanced at his story and skimmed through it, his eyes widening and his jaw clenching at certain parts. By the end, he had wide eyes and a gaping mouth, "Are you telling me I'm a fucking girl in this story?"

Lucy chuckled awkwardly and answered, "Yep! But in my world, the story is even more different and Elsa is actually a badass so that's something, right?"

"Heh, as if Ice Princess here could ever be a badass," Natsu quipped.

"At least he's actually in the book unlike you," the blonde teased back.

"Hey! You said I was in it! The story is just ripped out!"

"Well maybe you weren't in this one. In my world you were a character but in this world you could be completely irrelevant to the story!"

Natsu huffed and crossed his arms. "Whatever. Let's just get this thing over with so we can get off this damn mountain. I hate snow."

"Yeah, the sooner he's gone the better," Gray added. "So if I'm this _Elsa_ person, then what does that mean now?"

"We have to give you a happy ending," Lucy answered.

"You mean like you did with Erza? You finally got her and Jellal together, huh?"

The blonde arched a brow and questioned, "How did you know that?"

Gray mirrored the expression and answered, "It's in the book."

Lucy's eyes widened as she grabbed the book and flipped to the story of Mulan. Just as Gray said, the ending changed. Instead of it ending with Mulan's death, it ended with the Hun's defeat. Shang didn't kill Mulan, instead he brought back some of her memories with true love's kiss.

"The story changed after we gave them their happy ending," Lucy breathed out in astonishment. "I really am helping these people."

"How did it change?" Happy questioned.

"Magic," Natsu answered. "How else would it have all of our stories and stay dry through Aquarius' cyclone?"

"Hansel and Gretel changed too!" Lucy exclaimed. "This is so weird but interesting! Anyways, Gray, based on your story, I have to give you an appropriate happy ending. Since Erza's story originally ended with her death, I had to save her and help her find happiness. And since Mira's story originally ended with her siblings abandoning her because she was missing, we had to find her and reunite them."

"So what would you do with me?" Gray questioned.

"Well, it says here that your relationship with your siblings becomes strained because they blame you for your adoptive mother's death. So we need to stop that from happening before it's too late!"

"She wasn't my adoptive mother. She was my instructor. She taught me how to use my magic after my father died. And hate to break it to you, but you're a little late. They already hate me and blame me for Ur's death."

"Oh. Well then we need to convince them that it wasn't your fault!" Lucy persisted.

Gray's brows furrowed as he stood up and began walking away as he replied, "Can't do that if it's the truth."

* * *

 **AN:** So we got a bit of information about the book! It is magical! (Duh). Anyways, hope you liked the chapter! :D

 **MuffinMalonez:** Hello! :D For this story since there are SOOOO many chapters, I let myself write shorter chapters haha. The minimum I write is 2k words, I never go under. And for this story I guess my average would be just above the minimum lol. There are some chapters where I randomly spike and write 7k but for the most part they're around 2-3k. :)

 **Samiraahmed12:** Hello! Thank you so much I'm glad you like the story! I update every Monday and Thursday. :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, Soul Eater Maka, HollyDragneel, CFG, Alexa60765, MuffinMalonez, Nalunom, Flire and Ice, Lunahartz, NobodyImportant, Nalulove, Guest, HuskyDawn, samiraahmed12, JustAnotherFan14, IndianaCombs.** And thank you to everyone who follows/favs. :)


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:** Hello everyone. :) School is so stressful already lmao. :') QOTD: What grade are you in if you're in school? :) I'm a sophomore in college and I just want to graduate already lmao. :')

* * *

Chapter 27

Anna and Hans

Lucy woke up in a queen-sized bed with a thick comforter, multiple pillows, and a feather-soft mattress. She even had her own room. Happy wasn't there to claw her face while he dreamt and Natsu's snoring couldn't be heard. It was the best night of sleep the girl had gotten since she arrived in Earthland.

Lucy strolled into her bathroom and took a nice long shower to unwind from the prior day's trip. Her muscles ached and she felt like she could turn into a puddle of goo at any moment.

After Gray left them last night, a maid told them they were allowed to stay in rooms that the Prince chose specifically for them. Lucy laughed seeing Natsu's room. It was dingy and the bed had springs popping out of the mattress.

After Lucy's shower, the blonde quickly got dressed. It was way too cold to be lounging in nothing but her towel. She quickly threw on her outfit, a blue tank top with diagonal white strips and a heart over her breast pocket and a navy blue pleated skirt. Adding the finishing touch, the girl tied her long golden hair into a side pony with a blue ribbon.

Lucy left her room briskly to make sure that Natsu and Gray weren't fighting again. Running down the grand halls, the girl turned a corner, bumping into something firm. She landed on her bum with a groan.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" a sweet voice asked in concern.

Lucy glanced up to find a girl about her age with fair skin and mesmerizing green orbs. She had pink hair tied in a high pony that fell in gentle waves, reminding the blonde of Mira. Though this girl left her bangs down and swooped to the side.

"I'm fine," Lucy answered with a gentle smile. "I should be the one apologizing since I bumped into you!"

The girl laughed softly as she held a hand out to the blonde to help her up. "My name is Meredy. I am Sir Lyon's fiancé."

"Sir Lyon?"

"Are you not from this kingdom? He is Prince Fullbuster's… I'm not really sure what to call him honestly!"

"Is he Gray's adoptive brother?" Lucy questioned with wide eyes. Maybe if she got Meredy to take her to this Lyon person, she could convince him that Gray did nothing wrong.

"Sorta!" Meredy answered. "Both Lyon and Prince Gray were never actually adopted by Ur, but it's easier to call them brothers. By the way, you called Prince Fullbuster just Gray. Who exactly are you since you're close to the Prince?"

"Oh, I'm not actually that close. I just met him yesterday."

"And you refer to him with his first name?"

"Sorry, I guess I just haven't gotten accustomed to this world's customs."

"This world?"

"Long story. So do you know what exactly happened between all of them? And what happened with Ur?" Lucy asked. First she needed to get to the bottom of what happened to see why Gray blamed himself. Surely it was just a misunderstanding.

Meredy frowned and glanced around. "It's not something that people like to talk about here, so we would need to do it in private. Let's go back to your room."

Lucy nodded and led the way back to the room Gray let her use. Surprisingly, she hadn't seen or heard from either Natsu or Happy. Usually they were always bugging her about something. If she was being honest with herself, she would say that she missed their company.

"This is a great room!" Meredy chirped as she sat on Lucy's bed.

The blonde smiled and nodded. "Gray is nice to let me stay here. Which is why I want to help him, and in order to do that I need to know what happened with Ur."

The pinkette nodded and explained, "It all started with Prince Gray was a little boy. His parents were the King and Queen that ruled justly over the kingdom and were great friends with King and Queen Heartfilia. One day, a demon raided our kingdom. None of the soldiers were strong enough to defeat it. King Fullbuster only managed to fend it off. But neither he nor his wife made it out alive in the process."

"That's terrible," Lucy whispered. She already knew this from the book, but it was even more tragic finding out that the book wasn't wrong about it. Gray's parents really were killed by a demon.

"It only gets worse for our Prince," Meredy replied, wiping small tears from her eyes. "Prince Gray met Ur and the others a few years later. They grew up like a family and loved each other. That is, until the demon returned. Prince Gray wanted to go fight the demon, despite Ur telling him he wasn't strong enough. The Prince didn't listen and went anyways. Just as the demon was going to kill him, Ur cast a powerful spell called Iced Shell that trapped the demon in her ice. The spell, however, took her life in order to do so."

"So that's why Gray blames himself," Lucy stated.

Meredy nodded and replied, "And that is why my fiancé and his sister also blame the Prince. I am trying to convince Lyon that his brother was of no fault, but it takes time."

"I understand. Thank you for all your help, Meredy, but I have to go find Gray!"

"I hope you can help them, Lucy! You are the savior, after all."

Lucy nodded towards the pinkette then ran through the halls to find Gray. The girl then stopped in her tracks as a thought popped up into her head.

" _I don't remember telling her I'm the savior,"_ the blonde thought. Shrugging it off, she continued to run until she reached Natsu and Happy's room. Knocking twice, the girl barged in, seeing them still asleep in bed.

"Wake up, you two!" Lucy ordered, pulling the blanket off of them. "We're starting our mission!"

"Lucy?" Natsu groggily asked as he wiped the crust from his eyes. "I'm surprised you're awake already. I expected you to sleep in as long as you could."

"Aye," Happy agreed.

"Well we have a mission to complete, so of course I'm awake. Hurry up and get ready so we can go!" the blonde instructed.

"Where are we going?"

"To talk to Gray!"

"That stripper again?" Natsu scoffed. "I thought it was obvious that he didn't want our help. Why don't we just go to the next story?"

"That's terrible, Natsu!" Lucy chastised. "How would you feel Igneel died and you thought you killed him when it was probably just a misunderstanding?"

The boy crossed his arms and huffed. So she had a point. Still, if someone didn't want help who are they to force them? Especially someone as annoying as Gray.

"Fine," Natsu finally replied. "But I'm not gonna be nice to him!"

Lucy smiled and nodded before leading the way out of the room and rushing down the halls to find Gray. Eventually they found the moody boy staring at a large portrait of an ice-covered lake surrounded by snowy trees. It was a beautiful painting, Lucy noted, but it definitely didn't bring the emotions that Gray felt to her. The dark-haired boy stared at the painting with clenched fists and a tightened jaw while pain flashed in his eyes.

"Gray?" Lucy hesitantly called out. He seemed to be in a trance with the portrait, she felt rude to interrupt.

The said boy turned to face the blonde and gave her a weak smile. "Hey, Lucy. What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about your story," the girl answered.

"Again? I'm sorry, Lucy, but I don't think you can change it."

Lucy's brows furrowed as she formed tight fists. "Why are you so quick to give up?"

"Huh?" Gray questioned, arching a brow while Natsu and Happy stared at her with wide eyes.

"I asked why you're so quick to give up. After losing your parents and then your instructor, don't you think that you should be doing whatever you can to fix things with whatever family you have left?"

"They aren't my family. They are-"

"They are your family!" Lucy heatedly argued. "They accepted you and loved you after your parents died! You may not be related by blood, but you're family!"

"And how would you know!?" Gray shot back, losing his patience. "You don't know us and you weren't there when Ur died!"

"Because I've been wanting a family my whole life! After hearing about them taking you in, it made me wish I had people to do that for me!"

Gray stood still as he was too stunned to move. Clearly he wasn't the best when it came to family considering his experiences always ended badly, but to think somebody was envious of his situation startled him to say the least.

With clenched fists, the boy questioned tightly, "How do you plan on getting them to forgive me?"

"By getting you to forgive yourself," Lucy answered with a small smile. "The moment you stop blaming yourself for what happened to Ur is when you can talk to your siblings and realize there was nothing to forgive in the first place."

Tears slipped down Gray's cheek as he argued, "No, it really was my fault. If I didn't run after Deliora, she wouldn't have had to sacrifice herself to save me…"

"If she sacrificed herself, that means she chose to give up her life. Because you were so special to her, she needed to save you. You were a kid, it's not like you knew what was going to happen."

"It should've been me that died!"

" _No._ Don't say that when Ur gave up her life to save yours," Lucy scolded gently. "The best way to repay her is to live a happy, fulfilling life."

Gray's eyes widened as he gaped at the blonde. All he heard after Ur's death was that it was his fault. That if it wasn't for him, she would still be alive. And now some girl he met yesterday was telling him it wasn't his fault. She was the one to tell him what Ur probably believed. Of all people, a stranger made him see that he wasn't to blame for Ur's death, instead of his own siblings.

Wiping away his shed tears, Gray smiled warmly at Lucy. They only met the day before and already he knew he could trust her. He knew she could bring back his happy ending because already she gave his cold heart a bit of warmth and hope.

"Thank you, Lucy," Gray said. "You're right. I can't keep blaming myself. The book said that either Lyon or Ultear would kill me, right?"

"Aye," Happy answered. "But in the book you only have one sibling so we don't know for sure which it is."

"Can you think of which one hates you more?" Natsu asked with crossed arms. For some reason, Lucy and Gray's conversation ticked him off. Well, not the conversation. But the body language they gave each other. The smiles were too much to give someone you just met in his eyes.

Gray furrowed his brows in thought and answered, "They both kinda hate me. But if I had to say who showed it more, it would be Lyon. Ultear hates me, but she mainly keeps to herself anyways so I don't see her much."

"I'm wondering why he would want to kill you now though," Lucy stated, cupping her chin in thought. "What happened with Ur happened years ago. Why would he go through with it now? What took him so long?"

"Maybe he couldn't fight his hatred anymore," Natsu offered. "Maybe there's no deep meaning behind it."

"With all of the stories I've read, I think it's safe to say there is _always_ a deep meaning. But for now let's focus on how to prevent it from happening in the first place."

"So we protect Gray?" Happy questioned.

"No, it's not that simple. We can't stay by Gray's side forever. Eventually we'll have to leave to help the next person in the book and Lyon will take that as his chance to attack. Besides, Elsa's happy ending was making up with her sister. I think the same goes for Gray."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Natsu asked.

"We have to talk to Lyon!" Lucy answered with a fierce smile. "And Ultear! We have to convince them that what happened to Ur wasn't Gray's fault, the same way we convinced him!"

"I think that's gonna be impossible," Gray stated. Somewhere during their conversation he managed to strip off his shirt, causing Lucy to wonder how a prince was allowed to do that.

"Don't worry," the blonde began, her smile growing, "I'm the savior. I will help you three!"

* * *

Three hours passed and Lucy found herself smiling at her reflection in the bathroom mirror while she hummed a song she couldn't name. A few days ago, the blonde was cowering from her responsibilities, but now she was embracing her role in Earthland full-force.

"Getting Gray to stop blaming himself felt really good," Lucy told Plue, who smiled at his owner in return. "I think that we can get Lyon and Ultear to forgive him too. Don't you agree, Plue?" The spirit grinned and nodded its oversized head when a loud rumble sounded in the room. "I guess I'm a little hungry. Let's go get some food in the kitchen! Gray said we're welcome to help ourselves!"

Thus, the girl picked up her spirit to save him from walking and held him to her chest as she travelled the grand halls once again. Turning the corner to another hallway, Lucy was surprised to run into yet another person.

It was a boy with slanted, hard eyes that peered into Lucy's brown orbs with what appeared to be resentment. He had spiky silver hair and was dressed in a blue tunic and baggy pants. Over that was a white coat with gold edges, something that looked like royalty should wear.

Snapping out of her slightly fearful daze, Lucy rose to her feet- no help from the man- and said, "Uhh, sorry to have bumped into you."

"You should be," the boy replied, his voice harsh and colder than the snow outside of the castle. "Watch where you're going next time."

Lucy wanted to argue with the rude boy but knew it would get her nowhere. Being the bigger person, the blonde began to walk away until the boy spoke again.

"Wait a second," he began, his voice growing even colder, "you're one of Gray's new friends, aren't you?"

Lucy turned on her heel and faced the silver-haired boy. "And what if I am?"

Smirking, he answered, "Nothing really. I was simply wondering."

"How do you know who I am?"

"Because you met my fiancé earlier."

Lucy's eyes widened as she asked, "You're Lyon?"

"Correct," he answered. "Lyon Vastia. There are also rumors that you are the savior from King Heartfilia's curse. You're here to bring Gray his happy ending."

"That's right, because he deserves one."

"That is a lie!" Lyon shouted, suddenly losing his cool and causing the girl to flinch. Even though he was a jerk, he hadn't yelled at her until then. "Meredy told you what happened to Ur, how could you stand there and tell me he deserves happiness!?"

"Because it wasn't his fault!" Lucy answered fiercely. "What happened to Ur wasn't his fault!"

"And what about what happened to _me?"_ Lyon seethed, narrowing his eyes at her. "I was an orphan before Ur found me on the streets and took me in. I had no parents or friends, but she was enough for me. She gave me a goal: to surpass her someday because she was the greatest wizard alive. And Gray took that from me when he brought Ur's death!"

Lucy stared at the boy incredulously and asked, "You're mad at him because you can't _fight_ Ur anymore? What kind of twisted person are you?"

Lyon smirked and answered, "One that doesn't like interference. Do what you want with Gray, I don't care. But if you get in the way of my new goal, I will end you and your friends."

Lucy watched with wide eyes as Lyon began to walk away, a trail of ice following behind. Honestly, she was a bit scared of the boy. After all, he was the one that was supposed to kill Gray, would she really have been enough to defeat him on her own? Though despite her fear, something did catch her attention in their conversation.

" _He talked about not getting in the way of his new goal,"_ Lucy thought, furrowing her brows in thought. " _The way he said it though was like the villains in all of the movies I would watch or the books I read. Whatever his plan is, it isn't good. But… Is he really the one that wants to kill Gray?"_

* * *

On that opposite side of the castle, brisk footsteps could be heard clicking on the tile floors as Meredy walked through the halls and towards a familiar room. A smirk rested on her lips as she stopped outside of her destination and knocked twice.

"It's me," the pinkette announced quietly so nobody heard her.

"Come in."

Meredy entered the room and bowed at the woman in front of her sitting on the bed. She had fair skin and dark eyes. Her hair was black and straight, falling to her lower back while a white headband sat on her head. A smile danced on her lips, which were painted a bright red. In her hands was a crystal ball, which she couldn't tear her gaze from.

"Hello, Ultear," Meredy greeted with a smile. "I came to let you know that things are going to plan."

"Are you sure?" the woman, Ultear, questioned. "Even with the savior's arrival?"

"Yes. I convinced her that I am on Gray's side, trying to convince Lyon that Gray did nothing wrong. I gained her trust easily."

Ultear smiled and nodded. "Good job, Meredy. And what about Lyon? Does he still believe you love him?"

Meredy's smirk dropped for a split second before returning. Luckily Ultear was too busy looking into her crystal ball to notice.

"Yes. Lyon still believes I love him," the pinkette answered. "And he thinks I support his hatred against Gray."

"Good. We need to make them believe that we are innocent. For now, at least. Then we will kill Gray and all of Fiore."

* * *

 **AN:** DUH DUH DUHHHHH. Ultear has made her first appearance! That can't be good! Let me know what you think! :D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **KawaiiNoNatsu, Soul Eater Maka, TheDigitalDork, Nalulove, Still-On-Hiatus, Alexa60765, CFG, IndianaCombs.** :)


	28. Chapter 28

**AN:** This is where the arc begins to resemble the anime a bit. Hope you guys enjoy! :')

* * *

Chapter 28

Demon in the Ice

"So you don't think that Lyon is the one trying to kill Gray because he said so?" Natsu asked skeptically. He had just woken up thanks to a certain blonde's persistent knocks at his door.

"I don't know," Lucy answered truthfully. "He was talking about this goal of his and it didn't sound like he wanted to kill Gray at all. Unless he got in the way."

"And maybe Gray gets in the way," the pinkette offered. "Maybe that's how Lyon kills him."

"I guess that makes sense. Natsu, whatever his goal is, I could tell it isn't a good thing. We need to figure out more about it. I think we should spy on him!"

"Spy on him? Don't you think after what happened at the Everlue mansion that sneaking around doesn't work? We should just confront him!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed, encouraging the dragon slayer's reckless behavior. "Natsu can handle him!"

Lucy groaned and replied, "We aren't going to fight a guy that hasn't technically done anything wrong yet. There are so many factors to this story, we need to look at all of them."

"What do you think we should do then, Lucy?"

"Someone should stay with Gray, which I'm guessing will be me, someone should keep an eye on Lyon, and someone else should find more information on Ultear. There is something going on here, something big."

"You seem pretty dead-set on that even though you have no proof," Natsu stated, crossing his arms and studying the blonde.

Lucy nodded and replied, "I haven't told you this yet because it slipped my mind, but I think the book _does_ help me with all of this. When I found Mira, it was only because my body felt drawn to her. And all of my plans? They seem to work. I think that maybe the book has been helping me without me even realizing it. And now my gut is telling me that there's something weird happening in this castle, so I'm going to trust it."

Natsu grinned. "You've definitely come to terms with being the savior. Alright, we'll trust you."

"Aye! You haven't been wrong yet!" Happy added. "So what will Natsu and I do?"

Lucy tapped her chin in thought. "I think Natsu should keep an eye on Lyon. He has heightened senses which should make it easier. And just in case Lyon catches him, he has a fighting chance. Ultear hasn't proven herself to be violent yet so you should watch her, Happy."

"Alright! Team Natsu is at it again!" the pinkette exclaimed as he put his hand towards the other two.

"Aye!" Happy cheered, putting his paw on top of Natsu's hand.

"Team Natsu? I think I like Team Lucy more," the blonde complained. Still, she put her hand in and together they gave a determined cheer and threw their hands- or paw in Happy's case- into the air.

* * *

After leaving her friends, Lucy strode through the halls briskly, this time turning the corners very carefully so as not to bump into yet another person. Since her run-in with Lyon, the girl was admittedly on-edge. It wasn't every day she was being threatened, though it was becoming more common since her arrival in Earthland.

Nearing the room she agreed to meet Gray in, Lucy picked up the pace. The castle was quickly growing creepy for her, probably because of the two siblings, one of which was to become a murderer. Nearly throwing the door off its hinges, the blonde hastily stepped inside and slammed it shut, releasing a sigh of relief as she leaned on the door.

Gray sat at the table as he ate his breakfast when Lucy came barging in. The boy could tell she was antsy. He didn't know Lucy well, but it didn't take him long to figure out that she was still new to the world of fighting and whatnot. He could understand her fear.

"You okay, Lucy?" the ice-mage asked, his voice laced with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "Not a ghost, your brother. He kinda confronted me last night."

Gray's brows shot up as his eyes widened. "He did? Did he hurt you at all!?"

"No, no. He just kinda… threatened me. And Natsu and Happy. He said that if I got in the way of his new goal he would kill us. You know, just a typical day in Earthland."

"His new goal? You mean he has a new goal besides beating Ur now?"

"Apparently. I don't think it's a good one though, so I'm having Natsu watch over him. Happy is going to look after your sister."

Gray huffed and replied, "I don't think Happy watching Ultear is a good idea. She may be docile, but she's strong. Stronger than Lyon and I. If she finds out somebody is spying on her, she'll kill them before they even realize they were caught."

"Well, Happy should be fine. He can fly away," Lucy assured, though she would be lying if the boy's words didn't worry her. She would have to warn the exceed later.

Gray studied Lucy while she was in her own little world, probably thinking about his _siblings._ There was something about her he just couldn't pin. It was like he knew her from somewhere. Then, as if a magic mobile hit him at full-speed, the answer came to him. The boy's eyes grew wide and his mouth hung upon like a gaping fish.

" _That's not possible,"_ the boy thought. " _She can't be the missing princess. But then again… She's the savior to King Heartfilia's curse."_

"Is there something wrong, Gray?" Lucy asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

The ice-make mage feigned a small smile before answering, "Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, Lucy, I was about to go visit one of my favorite places in town. Wanna join?"

Lucy arched a brow but smiled and nodded regardless. Then, the two were getting ready to leave the castle. Gray had one of his servants fetch the girl a winter coat. The blonde gushed over it. It was pink with white, fluffy trimmings.

Now ready for the cold, the two hurried out of the castle and headed for town. Lucy never noticed the town before because it was behind the huge castle, blocked from the view of the entrance of the mountain. It was relatively big, but not as big as Magnolia, and had streets stocked with stands of goods. Everyone seemed delighted to see the Prince walking around.

One of the older women awed at the sight of the two of them and asked Gray, "Is she your girlfriend, Prince Gray?"

The two blanched before shaking their arms in the air with flushed cheeks.

"No, she's just a friend," the boy answered.

The woman frowned slightly and replied, "What a shame, she is quite pretty."

"Thank you," Lucy said, chuckling awkwardly.

After that embarrassing debacle, the two continued on their journey, occasionally being stopped by more townspeople, some of them asking the same embarrassing question the old woman asked. Eventually, Lucy found Gray stopping, meaning that they arrived at their destination. The blonde followed his gaze until her eyes landed on an ice sculpture of a couple holding a newborn baby. Something inside of her stirred, but she ignored it.

"This is beautiful," Lucy awed. And it was true. The ice was crafted to perfection, absolutely no chipped spots. The details that went into the sculpture were remarkable. "Is this a sculpture of your parents holding you?"

Gray didn't hear the blonde's question and instead glanced between her and the sculpture, realizing just how similar she looked to the woman of ice, Layla. It was clear the girl herself didn't even see it, however. " _Now I know for sure. Lucy is the King's daughter. Lucy Heartfilia."_

"Gray?" Lucy tried again.

"Huh?" the boy questioned. "Sorry, guess I was lost in thought."

The blonde giggled and replied, "That's okay. I can see how it's easy to do since this sculpture is so beautiful. I asked if it was a sculpture of you and your parents."

Gray shook his head and stared back at the sculpture. "No, it isn't of me. This is actually a sculpture of King and Queen Heartfilia and their daughter, the lost princess. My dad made this the day the Princess was born. I was a year old at the time. I don't remember this, but apparently my parents brought me to King Heartfilia's castle for the party and I actually met the new Princess. This sculpture was magically protected so that it would never melt under the sun."

"No offense, but I don't think you have to worry about it melting here at all since it's so cold," Lucy replied.

"It wasn't always here. Apparently the King returned it after the Queen's death. My parents figured it was because it pained him to see the family he lost. But they didn't want to destroy it. After all, they were friends with the Queen. So, they kept it here. This is one of the few things I have left of my parents."

Lucy frowned as she stated, "I'm sorry, Gray. I don't know what it's like to lose family."

"I think you know more than you think," the boy mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Lucy, this may be hard to believe, but you are-"

"Lucy!" a sudden voice cried out. The two turned to find that it was Happy flying towards them with a fearful expression on his face. He slammed into Lucy's chest, almost causing her to fall back.

"What is it?" Lucy questioned worriedly, rubbing the cat to comfort him. "Did something happen with Ultear?"

The exceed shook his head and answered, "It's Natsu! He was following Lyon and you're right! He is up to something!"

"What is it?" Gray asked with urgency.

"Natsu was following Lyon deeper into the mountains. Apparently Lyon entered some sort of hidden cave or something. Natsu snuck inside too and found a huge monster! He described it as dark blue and scaly with giant horns! Oh, and it's stuck in ice!"

Gray's breath hitched in his throat. "T-That wasn't just a monster. That was a _demon._ It was Deliora!"

"Deliora?" Lucy repeated. "You mean the one that-"

"Yeah. The one that killed everyone I love. Happy! Take us to Natsu!"

"Aye, sir!"

* * *

Natsu stayed hidden behind a rock as he listened to Lyon talk to his pawns. One was a short male with overly thick eyebrows and long, braided blue hair, though it wasn't too noticeable with the huge hat he wore. Next to him stood a girl with pink, curly hair tied into pigtails. Lastly, there was a shirtless man that resembled a dog, even more so with the ears sticking out of his head.

It had been almost an hour since Natsu began following Lyon. To his luck, Lyon was on the move while he found him- which he did by following the scent that was on Lucy's clothes from last night. He was surprised that they were heading far from the castle, and even more so when they approached a cave that led to a massive rock clearing.

When Natsu first saw the monster trapped in ice, pure shock tremored through him. The thing was bigger than the castle and had a menacing aura coming from it. A hole in the rock ceiling was just above the creature. He managed to sneak out of the cave and find Happy and tell him to warn Lucy. He made it back to the cave just in time to hear Lyon speak.

"Not too much longer now until we start our goal," Lyon announced, his voice laced with excitement.

"Soon you'll be able to get what you always wanted: love!" the pink-haired woman stated, to which the men sighed at.

"Not everything has to do with love, Sherry," the man with blocky eyebrows replied.

The woman, Sherry, narrowed her eyes and replied, "Everything is love, Yuka! But to think that we've waited so long and now our dreams are going to be fulfilled!"

"Finally!" the dog-like man shouted angrily for some reason. "Deliora, Deliora, Deliora!"

Natsu peeked his head from behind the rock just as Lyon stated, "The time is near! The time that we revive Deliora!"

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like Lucy was close to figuring out who she was. Too bad Happy had to interrupt. :') And things are finally getting interesting with Deloria in the picture! The next couple of chapters are very similar to the show, so sorry about that! The big change comes soon! :D

A lot of you have asked about Juvia. And sorry about this, but I won't be answering that question just yet! Here is a hint to figure out if Juvia will be involved in Gray's storyline: check out my other stories. There is a pattern I'm sure you'll pick up! :D Hope you guys liked it. Pleeease review! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **Guest, TheDigitalDork, MuffinMalonez, Flire and Ice, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Alexa60765.** You keep me motivated. :')


	29. Chapter 29

**AN:** Like I said last chapter, it starts being a lot like the anime for a little bit. Bear with me! And yay we're at 300 reviews! :D There will be a sneak peek of the next chapter at the end!

* * *

Chapter 29

Deliora

"Hurry, Happy!" Lucy ordered. "We have to find Natsu fast!"

She, Happy, and Gray were running as fast as they could, which wasn't that fast considering they were running in snow. After hearing from Happy that Natsu found Deliora, they knew they had to get there fast in order to help him.

Gray glowered as he followed Happy. " _Just what is Lyon planning on doing with Deliora? And why the hell is that thing even here? Last time its body just disappeared!"_

The boy was confused, sad, and angry. He didn't know what Lyon was planning with Deliora, but knew it couldn't be good. After all, what good could come from being around a demon?

When the trio finally reached a cave, Gray ushered the other two to be quiet. First thing first was finding Natsu, if he was still alive. And if Deliora was alive somehow, running in guns-blazing might not have been the best move.

The three snuck into the cave, hiding between whatever covers they could find- all of which being rocks. As the progressed, they could hear faint chatter.

"That's Lyon," Gray whispered, informing the other two. "He's in there."

"We need to find Natsu," Lucy replied. "I'm worried about him."

"Me too," Happy agreed.

Gray nodded and continued to lead the way. He wanted to see what Lyon was up to more than anything but he wasn't going to abandon his new friends in order to do so. So, the three continued to inch along until a head of pink caught their attention. Natsu was standing behind a rock, watching as Lyon and some strangers talked.

Then Gray saw it. Deliora. The demon was standing, still encased in ice. It was true. Deliora was back. But why? Ignoring his fear and stirring emotions, the boy pressed on until they were near Natsu, who heard them approaching and grinned at them.

"You're finally here!" he whispered. "Took you long enough!"

"Natsu!" Happy cried in a hushed voice as he rocketed himself into the dragon slayer. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am. Nothing bad will ever happen to me, buddy."

"We were still worried about you," Lucy chimed in. "What were Lyon and the others saying?"

Natsu glanced at Gray while answering, "They're planning on reviving Deliora."

Gray inhaled sharply as his hands formed tight fists. "No way. There's no way Lyon would plan something like that! Not after what Deliora did to Ur!"

Natsu shrugged and replied, "He said it himself. Since you're familiar with the guy and whatever that thing is, why don't you tell us what to do?"

"Me?"

"Do we kill him or talk to him?"

Gray's brows shot up as his eyes widened. "Kill him? We can't kill him!"

"He's planning on reviving a demon that killed a bunch of people," Natsu reminded. "I don't know about you, but I'm a dragon slayer, not a demon slayer."

"It doesn't matter! I thought you three came here to help me save my relationship with my brother, not kill him!"

"We did," Lucy stated. "And that's what we're going to do."

Just then, the ground below them shook as purple light filled each crevice of the cave. The group glanced at each other worriedly before peeking their heads out to find the purple light coming from the hole in the ceiling. It was landing directly on Deliora.

"Damn it!" Gray hissed. "I know what he's doing. He's using Moon Drip, the only spell that can undo Iced Shell!"

"You mean it can melt the ice?" Lucy shakily asked. "Which means…"

"Yeah. Deliora can be revived."

"Then let's stop them before they can finish the spell," Natsu suggested seriously. "From the looks of it, it takes a while for the spell to finish. If we beat them, the spell should stop."

"Alright, but no killing!" Lucy ordered.

Gray shook his head, his body shaking. "No. If we have to kill them, then we will. That's what a Prince does for his kingdom, protects them. And if killing Lyon ensures that, then _I_ will do that. You guys go after the rest."

"Wouldn't it be better to go for Lyon together?" Lucy questioned.

Natsu shook his head and answered, "This is his fight, not ours. Maybe this is how he gets his happy ending. I'll take the dog and the guy with the crazy eyebrows, Lucy you take the chick. Gray, you better not mess this up."

Gray nodded at the pinkette in appreciation. He could be annoying but at least he was letting him handle his own demons. With a steady heart, the boy stepped out of their hiding place, followed by the remaining trio, and shouted, "Lyon! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The enemies whipped their heads around in shock. They certainly weren't expecting anyone to find them so soon. Sure, the purple light in the sky would've gained some attention, but by the time anyone would have reached them, Deliora would've been revived.

"You were spying on us, huh?" Lyon mused nonchalantly. "Oh well, doesn't matter now. You're just in time to watch Deliora's revival."

"How could you do this?" Gray spat. "How could you desecrate Ur's name like this!? She sacrificed herself for us, don't go taking away her sacrifice!"

Lyon glowered and shot back, "Ur sacrificed herself for _you_ because _you_ were the idiot to go charging after Deliora in the first place!"

"None of that matters anymore! Why would you want to melt Ur's ice to bring back Deliora anyways?"

"For my new goal," Lyon answered, a crazed smile gracing his face. "How can I beat somebody that's dead? By beating the one that killed them. I'm going to revive Deliora and defeat him for good!"

Gray gaped at the boy he considered a brother. Of all the possible goals he could've chosen from, he just _had_ to choose the craziest of all. Maybe the guy was a lunatic. Still, he was his brother, so he was going to help him the best he could. And if he couldn't help him… Well then he was going to do what he needed in order to protect the kingdom his parents died for.

"You can't do that," Gray finally stated. "You're no match for Deliora."

"No, _you're_ no match for Deliora," Lyon replied. "And I'm done talking to you about this. If you want to stop me, fight me for it. We all know who the better student was though."

Gray narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired boy, frosty air emanating from his body. Figuring he couldn't stop Lyon with words, he was prepared to use force. Though, Lyon was right. He always was the better student. Still, he wasn't going to give up without a fight.

Getting into his battle stance, Gray quickly formed a hammer of ice and brought it crashing down towards Lyon. The silver-haired mage defended using an ice shield, which caused both to shatter upon contact. Gray shot continuous ice lances towards his opponent, only to find them nullified. He saw that the mage with blocky eyebrows nullified them.

Natsu noticed this and dashed for the short mage, punching his straight in the jaw and causing him to fall over. Grabbing Yuka, the pinkette literally tossed him out of the cave to keep him away from Gray. Hearing quick footsteps approaching, the dragon slayer narrowly dodged dog-boy's attack before sending him after Yuka.

"I'll deal with those two outside!" he stated. "Now Mr. Eyebrows won't be able to nullify your magic!"

"Thanks!" Gray replied, now focusing his attention back on Lyon.

Natsu then ran towards the exit of the cave to deal with his opponents, Happy flying quickly behind. Lucy watched him go before turning her attention to her own enemy, the woman with pink hair, Sherry.

"Sherry, you and the savior should leave as well," Lyon instructed. "Leave Gray and I to battle."

"Yes, I will do it for love," Sherry replied before rushing out of the cave.

"Don't think you can get too far!" Lucy shouted while running after her. "Gray, make sure you win!"

"You too," the dark-haired boy replied with a smirk. Once his friends were gone, he turned his attention back to his brother. "Are you ready?"

"Are you?" Lyon asked in return.

Gray took that as his cue to begin, starting by sending arrows of ice flying towards Lyon. The other boy simply waved his hand, creating a shield to block each arrow. Not letting that deter him, Gray followed up with another hammer, though this one had spikes on it. Again, it was shielded.

"My turn now! Ice Make: Lion!" Lyon shouted, using one hand to create the ferocious animal.

Just as the lion was going to attack, Gray leapt into the air above.

"Ice Make: Prison!" he shouted. The cage fell over the lion and Gray dashed towards Lyon and delivered a harsh punch to the jaw.

Lyon got up and wiped away the trickle of blood that dripped from his mouth before delivering a punch of his own into Gray's cheek. The two continued to throw barrages of melee attacks, both trying to get the upper hand. But when it came to simple punches and kicks, Gray seemed to be winning ever so slightly.

Lyon growled as he rose to his feet after being knocked down and resorted to magic once again, sending a swarm of eagles flying towards Gray. The dark-haired mage put up a shield but the birds simply flew around and hit him. He was stunned by the fact his ice was able to curve but didn't think too much about it. Instead…

"Why are you only using one hand for magic?" he asked, brows tugged in frustration. "That isn't how Ur taught us!"

"And Ur isn't around to tell me otherwise thanks to you," Lyon replied.

Gray glowered at the boy and shouted, "Ice Make: Geyser!"

Lyon was left unharmed as he shot back a snow dragon. Once it hit the boy, Lyon dashed for him and delivered harsh blow after blow until Gray was bloodied and bruised.

"Ur died because of you, I won't let my new goal get ruined by you too," Lyon said.

Gray slowly got to his feet, his legs wobbling beneath him. He could've sworn that some of his ribs were cracked and his face throbbed with bruises but he wasn't going to give up. Not when his family, kingdom, and new friends' lives were on the line. So, he did what he had to.

Crossing his arms in front of him in an X-like shape, Gray glared at his brother. "This is your last chance, Lyon! Give this up or else!"

"Wait a second, that is Iced Shell! You wouldn't use that! You're bluffing!"

"Try me! So are we dying or living together?"

"Go ahead and try to use it! You won't be successful!" Lyon sneered, though he was secretly worried. Being trapped in ice didn't sound like fun. Still, even if he was, his friends could use Moon Drip on him and save him.

"Looks like we're dying together, Lyon. Let's go see Ur," Gray replied firmly.

" _This is it."_

* * *

Meanwhile, outside of the cave, Natsu was growing frustrated with his battle. Everytime he went to attack, bushy-brows would nullify his magic, allowing dog-boy to scratch him with his long and sharp nails. Not letting it faze him, the dragon slayer dashed for Toby and banged his head upon his while sending a roaring breath of fire towards Yuka. Unfortunately, Yuka nullified it, leaving him unscathed while Toby got up seemingly easily.

"Happy! Go find Lucy!" Natsu instructed.

Happy, who was watching the fight anxiously on the sidelines, nodded before flying away.

"You can't beat us," Yuka stated. "We've been training for this day since we were children. We are out of your league."

Natsu scoffed at the other boy's cockiness and ran towards him to attack. However, Yuka wasn't having any of that as he sent a wave of nullifying magic towards the pinkette. It was a vicious cycle, one that the dragon slayer wasn't faring well in.

"This is starting to get real annoying," Natsu complained. "If you're just gonna keep nullifying my magic, I just won't use it."

"Good luck with that," Yuka replied with a smirk.

Natsu dashed towards him once again. Yuka put up a nullifying shield, paining the pinkette's arm as it went through.

"Now what do you plan on doing?" the blunette questioned. "Your hand will soon be ripped to shreds if you leave it in my magic."

"Oh well, I have another hand," Natsu replied with a fanged grin.

"You still can't use magic inside of my wave."

"Well good thing I won't be inside of it then."

Natsu grunted in pain but continued to push himself through Yuka's wave. It hurt immensely but it was his only option. Soon enough, his head emerged from Yuka's wave, startling the other boy.

"Thanks for the tip though," Natsu said with a pained grin. "Dragon's Flame Elbow!"

Crashing his flaming elbow into Yuka's gut, the dragon slayer sent him flying. Pride surged through him as Yuka was left unconscious from his heavy blow. Now all that was left was Toby.

"That was good," the dog-like boy stated, "but I'm stronger than Yuka."

"Oh really?" Natsu questioned. "Don't look it."

"That's rude!" Toby barked- pun intended. "Paralysis Claw: Mega Jellyfish! There's a secret to this attack!"

"Is it paralysis?"

"How did you know!?"

"Damn, you're an idiot, and that's coming from me!"

Toby growled and lunged for Natsu, who easily dodged. The pinkette had to admit, the guy was pretty entertaining.

"If these nails touch you, you'll be electrocuted!" Toby informed him with a huge smirk.

Feeling mischievous, Natsu stopped and replied, "Wait, there's something on your forehead."

"Really?" Toby asked, bringing his claws stupidly to his forehead and in turn electrocuting himself.

Natsu fell to his knees laughing at the other mage's stupidity. He had to be the absolute dumbest person he had ever met, it kind of made him feel bad that he was with the bad people. Still, now that he beat his opponents, he wanted to go check on Lucy.

The blonde still wasn't used to fighting and even though he believed she would win, he still felt the need to protect her. Thus, he rushed towards her scent before a whiff of Gray's blood caught in his nose.

" _Maybe I should go help him with that Lyon jerk,"_ Natsu thought. " _If he actually brings back Deliora, Lucy will be in danger."_

It was a hard decision to make, but the boy ended up running towards the cave. He could check on Lucy after Gray. He could only hope that she would be okay then.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm thinking about combining the next two chapters because there are two parts to Gray's story and I want to speed up the first one since it's pretty much the manga but I don't know yet. Anyways, here is the preview as promised!

 _Lucy frowned, realizing that the other girl was unfortunately right. If she summoned a spirit, she would just start controlling it, forcing her to close their gate. It would be an endless cycle. She had her whip, but fighting against Sherry and whatever she decided to possess with only a whip wasn't going to work. An idea finally popped into the blonde's head, giving her hope._

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765, ThayetJade, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Nalulove, IndianaCombs.** I'm glad you guys still like the story. :')


	30. Chapter 30

**AN:** Hi everyone! So my sister is doing commissions and I want to help her get noticed more. So if anyone is interested, you can check out her work on my Tumblr (my username is the same as this site) and you can contact me if you have any questions. :)

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Chapter 30

Victory on Mt. Hakobe

Lucy yelled at the top of her lungs as she clung onto an oversized rat's claw. A _flying_ oversized rat's claw. Seriously, what else was there in Earthland?

After Lyon instructed Sherry to take their battle outside, the pinkette's pet, Angelica the rat, flew down to escort her. Not wanting her opponent to escape, Lucy did all she could think of: cling onto the rat's claw. Hence her current situation.

Growing tired of being in the air, Lucy tickled Angelica's foot, causing her tail-propeller to stall, crashing them back onto the mountain. The blonde was more than relieved that they didn't cause an avalanche or fall off the mountain. Instead, they were near the cliff of the mountain and a small, frozen-over lake. She made a mental note to herself not to get too close to the edge.

"Angelica!" Sherry cried as she rose to her feet after their crash landing. "Look at what you did, you wench!"

"Wench? Really?" Lucy asked with a sigh. "It was your fault for trying to run away."

"I wasn't trying to run away!" Sherry argued. "I was just following Lyon's orders and getting away from the cave! I'll never forgive you for this!"

"Whatever. I don't have time to argue with you on this. How about we get this over with?"

"Gladly. Doll Attack: Wood Doll!"

Lucy arched a brow as nothing seemed to happen. Sherry smirked and pointed behind the blonde. Turning, the girl found a snow-topped tree uprooting itself and attacked her with one of its branches. The blonde stumbled back and pulled out a golden key.

"Taurus!" she cried, swishing his key into the air. The bull appeared immediately and cut the tree with his ax.

"A celestial mage?" Sherry asked with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. "That's a very rare magic these days. I only know of two people capable of that magic. Oh well, not like that'll help you now."

"Don't underestimate Miss Lucy and her moooving body!" Taurus shot back.

"What an indecent thing to make your spirits say just to lift your ego."

"I don't make them say that!" Lucy screeched in irritation.

Sherry shrugged and smirked. "Oh well. Celestial spirit mages sure have a disadvantage against me though."

"Sure they do," Lucy replied. "Taurus, go!"

The bull nodded and dashed for the pinkette. Then, he stopped in his tracks, his arms in the air as he was going to attack Sherry. Turning around, the spirit headed for Lucy and swung at her instead, narrowly missing her.

"Taurus, what the hell?" Lucy shrieked, stumbling back.

"I-I can't control myself," Taurus replied, his body shaking as he tried to take control of his movements.

"What a shame for you," Sherry chimed in. "Celestial spirits are within my magic's domain."

Lucy glanced at Taurus and shrugged. Swishing her hand, she sent the bull back through its gate. Sherry's jaw dropped on its hinges. Of the celestial spirit mages the pinkette knew of, none of them were able to forcefully close a spirit's gate. It supposedly required both the owner's and spirit's agreement.

"H-How did you do that?" Sherry questioned in astonishment. "That's not possible!"

Lucy arched a brow. "Really? I've just always been able to do it, really. Just swish my wrist and then they're gone."

"Oh well, you're still at the disadvantage! What can you do without your spirits?"

Lucy frowned, realizing that the other girl was unfortunately right. If she summoned a spirit, she would just start controlling it, forcing her to close their gate. It would be an endless cycle. She had her whip, but fighting against Sherry and whatever she decided to possess with only a whip wasn't going to work. An idea finally popped into the blonde's head, giving her hope.

"Open, Gate of the Canis Minor, Nikora!" she shouted.

Plue appeared, cutely as always, with his wobbly legs and dopy smile.

Sherry laughed mockingly and asked, "Are you stupid? Did you forget what happens when you summon spirits?" Just as Lucy predicted, the pinkette possessed Plue, sending the small spirit racing towards her and delivering soft attacks. "Huh? He's weak!"

"Plue isn't a fighter," Lucy informed her opponent. "But I am!" Using this to her advantage, the blonde retrieved her whip and sent it cracking towards Sherry, who dodged it.

Canceling her possession over Plue, Sherry instead focused it on a pile of rocks instead. The rocks created a large monster. Lucy sweat dropped at the sight, knowing her whip wouldn't be helpful against it. All she could do was run around, barely dodging the rock monster's attacks.

Lucy's eyes then landed on the edge of the mountain when another idea popped into her head. " _This will be risky, but it's all I can do!"_ Running towards the edge of the mountain, the blonde waited for the rock monster to chase her. Just as she guessed, the dolls Sherry created were brainless.

Just as the rock monster was about to crush her, Lucy jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed. Luckily, the monster fell off of the mountain, crumbling on impact even though it was snow.

"You may have defeated my rock doll," Sherry began, "but you still can't do anything."

Lucy huffed in annoyance as she glanced at her keys. Seeing a particular golden key, an anxious grin graced her face. The blonde rose to her feet and dashed towards the frozen lake, kneeling on its edge.

" _This'll hurt,"_ Lucy thought with a frown before punching straight throw the icy cover of the lake to get to the freezing water. Her knuckles and wrist began to trickle with blood but she ignored it as she thrust Aquarius' key into the cold water. "Open, Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

The mermaid appeared in a bright glow as the cold water from the lake spiraled around her. Her usual, annoyed frown was plastered to her face as she addressed her owner, who shivered from both the water and the nasty glare.

"You really are an idiot!" Sherry mocked. "This time you summoned a zodiac spirit! This is the end for you!"

Aquarius glared at the pinkette as she felt control of her body being taken from her. " _So a brat thinks she can control me, huh?"_

"Attack her!" Sherry commanded.

A vein in Aquarius' forehead ticked as she picked up her urn and shot a violent whirlpool of water towards both Lucy and Sherry, the latter screaming in terror.

"Nobody controls me," Aquarius hissed as both girls were splayed on the slushy ground. "Not even the brat that holds my key. I'm out of here."

Lucy rose to her feet, her legs wobbling beneath her. Her vision was cloudy considering she was disoriented from Aquarius' attack. Though it was an inconvenience that Aquarius always attacked her despite being her owner, it came in handy this time.

"What the hell was that?" Sherry questioned. She was in the same condition as Lucy, wobbling around.

"That's Aquarius for you," Lucy answered drowsily. "She attacks anyone, even her owner."

"Okay but now you're beat up too!"

"Still better than you!"

The two girls then delivered punches, most of which not making contact with the other considering they couldn't see still. Eventually, Lucy summed up all her will and right hooked Sherry, knocking her out.

"I did it!" Lucy cheered as her energy drained away. Her legs finally gave out on her and she began falling back. Luckily, she was caught and found herself high in the air a second later.

"Good job, Lucy!" Happy congratulated as he carried the blonde. "You won!"

"Happy, you're okay!" she replied.

"Aye! But we have to hurry! Natsu sent me here to bring you back to the cave! He said that Gray's in trouble! How did you get so far away anyways?"

"Turns out Sherry had a flying rat."

"Flying rat? Those don't exist!"

"Coming from the flying cat. Let's hurry, Happy! They need our help!"

* * *

Natsu hurried his pace as he finally reached the entrance of the cave. Something didn't feel right, and it was the magic that was seeping towards him. It got colder as he went, ice creatures and weapons left shattered or caged. Finally, he could see the boy he was looking for.

Gray stood with his arms crossed in front of him, his eyes gleaming with determination while he appeared calm. Lyon stared at the dark-haired boy, beginning to doubt that he was just bluffing. Natsu stared at the boy's stance, knowing that the magic radiating from it felt familiar… Then it hit him. It felt like the ice that caged Deliora. He was using Iced Shell.

Natsu cursed under his breath before rushing towards Gray. The dark-haired boy glanced at the pinkette, puzzled as to why he looked so angry, before being punched in the jaw and sent to the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Natsu hissed. "That spell isn't the way to defeat your brother! Get up and fight!"

Gray glared at him and replied, "I can't beat him. He's too strong. This is my only way."

"Don't give up, you coward! Lucy came all this way to help you and you're going to let her efforts go to waste? Thought you two were friends! Thought that you were smarter than that, Popsicle Princess! Ur sacrificed her life so that you could live, don't go wasting that!"

Gray's eyes widened as he stared at Natsu. He was right. Ur gave up her life for him and he was about to throw it away. To think that somebody as annoying as Natsu had to remind him that irked him. Still, he was grateful.

The ice-mage got to his feet and smirked. "Thanks for that lecture, Ash for Brain. Now get the hell out of the way already so I can beat this guy."

Natsu grinned and stepped to the side, watching as Gray faced Lyon again.

"Such a shame you didn't use the spell," Lyon stated. "Could've saved us some time."

"I was thinking too rashly," Gray replied. "I didn't stop to think about Ur's sacrifice. Besides, your friends could've just melted the spell anyways with Moon Drip. The only way to beat you is in a real fight."

"You can't beat me. You weren't able to before and you aren't now."

"We'll see."

Lyon, losing patience with Gray, lunged forward and kicked his gut. The dark-haired boy coughed but didn't let it faze him for long as he retaliated with a kick of his own. The two went head-to-head yet again in a battle of physical blows until soon they both began using magic.

Once again, Lyon had the upper hand, proven when he stabbed Gray with a sword of ice, causing him to sputter blood and fall to his knees. Though despite the heavy wound, he staggered to his feet and punched Lyon swiftly in the face.

"You're too damn persistent," Lyon grinded out. "Even with that injury." He then sent a snow dragon towards Gray again, adding even more injuries to the boy. "I've waited too long for you to take this away from me!"

Gray calmed his nerves while dodging Lyon's attacks. If he was going to beat him, he had to stay calm. He could tell that Lyon was losing his patience, meaning that his attacks were going to get sloppy sooner or later. Sure enough, the silver-haired mage sent another lion towards Gray, to which he trapped in another prison.

"As if my ice can't break that!" Lyon shouted. But despite his lion's thrashing about, he couldn't break free.

"Your magic is imbalanced," Gray announced. "It's because you only use one hand. Maybe if you stuck to Ur's teachings, you would've been able to beat me. But this is it, Lyon! I'm tired of trying to save you! I will defeat you to protect the kingdom my parents died to protect! Ice Make: Cannon!"

Lyon could do nothing but watch as the cannon sent hardened ice flying straight towards him. It made contact with his gut and took the air out of his lungs, leaving him unconscious. Gray staggered towards his brother's body and frowned pitifully at him. The man was still alive, but it was devastating to see how his actions brought Lyon's crazed obsession.

However, Gray didn't have to think about that too long since a loud roar echoed through the cave, bringing both he and Natsu to their knees. Slowly turning his head, the boy found that Deliora's head was freed from Ur's ice and that the rest of his body was quickly following. Deliora was revived.

* * *

 **AN:** Writing Gray's battle was a pain in the ass tbh. :') I think writing battles for Lucy is the easiest. I just love writing anything about her lol.

Thanks to the reviewers that are still here lol: **samiraahmed12, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, Nalulove, dbzgtfan2004, Lunahartz.** You are the reason I keep writing this story. Whenever my motivation drops, I look at the reviews and force myself to keep going. So thank you. :')


	31. Chapter 31

**AN:** Alright, after this chapter is when we get back to the differences! Hope you guys like the chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 31

Deliora's End

"D-Deliora," Gray breathed out, his voice shaky and his breathing unsteady. "It's too late. He's being revived."

"But you beat Lyon!" Natsu argued, making sure not to look away from the reviving demon. "Shouldn't that have stopped the spell?"

"I wasn't fast enough. There's nothing we can do now." Gray rose to his feet and glowered at Deliora. "Nothing we can do but fight. Sorry, Natsu, looks like I have to used Iced Shell now."

Natsu whirled around and punched Gray once again in the face. "Stop trying to kill yourself, Stripper! I'm not going to let you!"

"But I have to protect my kingdom! If Ur couldn't beat him without using the spell, how the hell do you expect us to?"

"I don't know, damn it! But I'm not letting anyone die today! So if you aren't gonna help, then sit there and shut up while I beat this bastard to a bloody pulp!"

But despite his courageous words, Natsu was admittedly scared. After all, a demon known for killing hundreds of people was about to be revived right in front of him. He doubted he would be able to calm Deliora using words and convince him to leave. Fighting was their only option, but Gray's words were true after all. He wasn't strong enough to beat Deliora.

But he would give up his life trying to if it meant protecting Lucy.

Speaking of whom…

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted as Happy flew her towards them.

The said boy whipped his head towards the blonde. She was a little banged up but otherwise in great condition despite just finishing a fight. "What are you doing here, Lucy? Get out of here! Get as far away as you can! Deliora is being revived!"

Lucy ignored her partner and glanced around the cave, taking note of Lyon's unconscious body before finding Gray exhausted on the stone floor. "Are you okay, Gray?"

"I'm fine," the boy answered. "But Natsu is right, Lucy. You need to get out of here!"

Lucy opened her mouth to protest when Deliora roared again, loud enough to rock the ground. Most of the ice was melted, leaving only the demon's feet trapped, and seconds later, even that disappeared. Gray winced watching Ur's ice puddle on the ground. Her sacrifice was in vain.

Natsu knew better than to let Deliora strike first. Thus, he dashed toward the demon, his fists ignited with flames. But just as he was about to attack, Deliora's body began crumbling away until he was nothing more than a pile of dust.

"What the hell just happened?" Natsu asked, turning to face the others with a puzzled expression on his face. "I didn't touch him!"

"It was Ur," Gray breathed out, tears pricking his eyes. "Her sacrifice wasn't wasted. The ice was sucking away at Deliora's life for years."

"So he's been dead the whole time," Lucy deduced. "Thank god because I really don't think we would've made it out of here alive if he wasn't."

"Which reminds me," Natsu began darkly, glaring at the blonde, "you sure were slow to get the hell out of here like we said."

Lucy arched a brow and shrugged. "Because I wasn't going to leave. You think I would just leave you here? If you die fighting, I die fighting with you."

"That's stupid, Lucy!"

"Well it's what I decided. As if I would let someone fight for me and run away. Don't be stupid. Now hurry up and get Lyon while I get Gray. It's time to go back to the castle so I can warm up."

"Aye!" Happy agreed, glad that the fighting finally ended with everyone relatively okay.

Natsu grumbled but obliged, throwing Lyon over his shoulder. He wondered what they were going to do about Lyon's friends but figured they would wake up soon and knew their own way back to the castle. Not like they could carry all of them.

Gray gave one last glance to Deliora's ashes, a faint smile gracing his lips as tears of mirth slid down his cheeks. His parents and Ur were finally avenged. Their sacrifices weren't for nothing.

Lucy noticed the boy crying as she helped him to his feet. She smiled but said nothing of the matter, wrapping an arm around him and helping him walk.

For now, their fighting was over. Deliora was dead and Gray's happy ending was restored.

Or at least they thought it was.

* * *

When they reached the castle, Natsu mercilessly dropped Lyon onto the floor while Lucy gently placed Gray on the sofa. The castle's staff showed great worry for their Prince, who shrugged them off, insisting he was okay.

Moments later, Meredy came bursting in the room and fell by her fiance's side, weeping over his unconscious body.

"Oh, Lyon!" she cried. "I'm so glad you're okay! I'm sorry Lyon caused you all so much trouble."

Lucy smiled at the pinkette. "Maybe you should take him back to your room and let him rest. I'm sure that he would be happy to see you when he wakes up."

Meredy nodded and followed as a knight carried Lyon's body out of the room, leaving the rest of the group to finally relax. Happy was perfectly fine and unscathed while Natsu was almost just as well. His hand was a bit scathed from forcing it into Yuka's wave, but he would be alright. Lucy was in a bit worse condition with multiple bruises and scrapes, but even she was alright. Gray, however, had cracked ribs, bruises, and a deep wound in his lower stomach, which he had frozen to make sure to keep from losing more blood.

How he was still alive, they would never know.

"How are you feeling?" Lucy asked with a gentle smile.

Gray smiled in return and answered, "I'm alright. Hurts like a bitch, but I'll be fine. I'll make sure to get checked out later. What about you guys?"

"We're fine. So how do you feel emotionally? Are you happy?"

Gray thought long and hard about the question. Was he happy? He definitely felt much better knowing that Deliora was gone for good and that his parents and Ur could rest in peace. But was that enough? He had been empty for so long it was like he couldn't even recognize any other feelings.

"I think I'm happy," Gray finally answered. "Do you think that was my happy ending?"

"Only one way to find out," Happy chimed in, fishing in his knapsack for the book. "Since the ending to the other stories changed, yours would have too if we finished." The cat flipped through the book, causing Lucy and Natsu to realize just how far they had come since she first arrived. A frown graced the exceed's face as he turned the book to them, showing that the ending didn't change.

"Looks like we aren't done yet," Natsu stated, crossing his arms.

Lucy frowned and cupped her chin in thought. Then it hit her. Her eyes widened and her mouth grew dry. "In the original story, Anna wasn't evil."

"Anna is supposed to be Lyon, right?" Gray questioned, still not used to the idea of everyone being characters in the book, especially when he was a girl.

Lucy nodded and answered, "Yes. Even though Lyon had some crazy ideas, he wasn't exactly _evil._ He just had a goal and a misguided way to get there. He even said so himself that he wasn't intending on hurting you unless you got in his way."

"So what are you saying?" Natsu asked.

"Well in my world, Anna was engaged to a man named Hans. He tricked her and made her think that he loved her so that he could sneak his way into power. Then he tried leaving her for dead."

"Wait a second," Gray began with wide eyes, finally putting the pieces together, "you think that Meredy is Hans? And that she's been using Lyon this whole time?"

"Yes," Lucy answered. "I didn't even realize this before but she is just like Hans. Remember when she came in here? She apologized for Lyon's actions. I don't know about you guys, but I didn't tell her anything of what happened. And she also knew I was the savior when I didn't tell her. She's got a way with words but I think she's plotting something."

"Like what? She already lives in the castle."

"Well, I don't think that Meredy is planning this on her own. I think she's working for someone."

"Who?" Happy questioned.

"There's only one other person I can think of that might hate Gray."

* * *

Ultear grinned as Meredy knocked on the door. Ushering the pinkette inside, Ultear greeted her before turning her attention back to the crystal orb in her hand. Surely Meredy was here to tell them that their plan worked.

"We may have miscalculated," Meredy said instead, shocking the older woman. "It turns out that Deliora was dead the entire time. And Lyon didn't end up killing Gray, he actually lost."

Ultear's hand tightened around the orb until it shattered into pieces. She then waved her hand above the pieces, her magic gluing them back together. "What a shame."

Meredy frowned and kept her gaze glued to the floor. She feared Ultear whenever she was angry. And in truth, she didn't care about killing Gray or anything of the sort.

Her journey with Ultear started years ago, when she was only a child and the kingdom was first ravaged by Deliora. Though the casualties were kept small by the King and Queen's sacrifice, her parents were still of the few that weren't lucky. Since then, the girl had no choice but to resort stealing from those that turned a blind eye to her. She only stole food and the likes in order to survive.

One day, the kingdom was visited yet again by Deliora, in which Ur then sacrificed herself. A few days after, Meredy tried stealing from another girl, who looked a few years older than her. To her surprise, she was hit in the gut by a flying ball and sent flying back.

 _The woman, Ultear, glared at her and asked, "What do you think you're doing?"_

 _"I-I'm sorry," Meredy replied fearfully. "I'm just trying to take enough for food."_

 _Ultear studied her noticing the dirt on her skin and the torn clothes she was wearing. It was a pitiful sight. The girl was in worse shape than she, and she just lost her mother._

 _"Come with me," Ultear finally said. "I'll give you a place to live and some food."_

Meredy stared up at the woman as if she was an angel. Hell, back then she really thought she was. Then she jumped to her feet and followed the woman.

Since then, Meredy learned about Ultear, Lyon, and Gray and offered to help in whatever way she could. She would do anything to repay the woman who took her in and treated her with kindness, even if it meant tricking Lyon into believing she loved him and becoming his fiancé.

At first, Meredy's relationship with the boy was nothing more than a trick. She had no feelings for him in the slightest and was just doing her job. However, with the times they talked and with how she got to know him, the girl couldn't help but fall in love with him.

But her relationship was built on a lie, one that she wanted to stop for good. But she couldn't betray Ultear.

"Maybe we should just give up," Meredy meekly suggested, flinching when Ultear broke her orb yet again.

"Give up?" the woman questioned. "Listen, Meredy, you are my best friend. You're like a sister to me, even more so since you're engaged to that idiot, Lyon. But you need to remember why you're here. You are here because I brought you and you are here to help. Understood?"

Meredy frowned but reluctantly nodded.

Ultear smirked and said, "Good. We may have failed in regards to Deliora, but I have another way to make Gray pay. Sit back Meredy. I'm going to go catch us a mermaid."

* * *

 **AN:** Ahh time for the exciting part of the arc! What do you think Ultear meant by that? ;D Most of you probably already know lol. Let me know what you think! :D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **TheDigitalDork, HollyDragneel, samiraahmed12, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Hsdust, Alexa60765, Nalulove, ThatPixleDino.** Much love to all of you. :')


	32. Chapter 32

**AN:** Already started writing my next Nalu story but I have another one in my head and I don't know which one to really work on after I finish War, so I'm curious to see what you guys would like!

The first idea I have is titled _Wrong Number,_ in which Lucy accidentally texts the wrong number and ends up having a texting friendship with Natsu (which of course will evolve into something more lmao).

Next is a story I don't have a title to yet but it's basically about Lucy and Natsu accidentally going on a couples' cruise and they have to pretend to be married lol.

So which one would you rather read? Let me know in the reviews! :D

* * *

Chapter 32

Race to Find the Little Mermaid

Natsu hurried back to the infirmary where he had recently left Lucy and the others. They, particularly Gray, were getting their wounds checked out and healed before the blonde sent the dragon slayer on a mission only he could do. And as always, she was right.

Natsu barged into the room, ignoring the scowls from the nurses. Stopping by Lucy, who was laying on a hospital bed, the boy nodded his head.

"You're right," he stated. "Gray's sister is up to something."

"I figured," Lucy replied with a heavy sigh.

"What did you find out?" Gray questioned. He knew that Ultear wasn't a big fan of his, but he never imagined she would be plotting against him. Hell, even Lyon- who loudly voiced his hatred- didn't plan on hurting him. But… " _I guess it makes sense since Ur was her actual mom."_

Natsu shook his head and replied, "She didn't say much. I waited outside their door for a while but all she said was that she's going to catch a mermaid."

"A mermaid? What the hell could Ultear need with a mermaid?"

"Mermaids are real?" Lucy questioned. Then her eyes widened. "Wait! Mermaid! There's only one mermaid Ultear could be looking for!"

"Who?" Happy asked. "Is it someone in the book?"

"Yep! The Little Mermaid, Ariel! Happy, get the book!"

The cat did as he was told and retrieved the said book before handing it to the blonde. Lucy flipped through, having a feeling as to where the story should be. Sure enough, The Little Mermaid was just after Frozen. Another intertwined story.

"Read it aloud," Natsu instructed, curiosity stirring inside of him. He always wondered how Lucy was able to figure things out so easily.

The blonde nodded and read aloud, "Once upon a time in the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, there lived a mermaid with beautiful red hair. Her name was Ariel and she was one of King Triton's daughters, making her a Princess. Though Atlantis was full of kind mermen and mermaids, Ariel never felt at home among them.

"Ariel had always been different. She spoke differently, spent her free time differently, and thought about the world above differently. To everyone else, the land was full of treacherous creatures called humans. King Triton hated them specifically because of their hunting and trash that they threw into the ocean. But to Ariel, the land was full of opportunity. Not to mention a certain boy she had her eyes on.

"One day when Ariel was just a small mermaid, she swam closer to the shore than allowed and spotted a boy her age sitting next to an older man on the beach. Ariel instantly felt intrigued by the boy and everything about him. How he looked, how he talked, and the happiness that clearly showed on his face. Every year on the same day, the boy came back to that spot with the same man until one year, he just stopped. Ariel revisited every year in hopes of seeing the boy that captured her heart but he was never there.

"Eventually, Ariel gave up on her love. There was nothing she could do while she was trapped in the water anyways. Thus, sadness overcame her as she spent the rest of her days in Atlantis, never truly feeling like she belonged."

"What does that story have to do with anything?" Natsu asked after Lucy finished. From what he could tell, that was a completely different story, one that had nothing to do with Gray. But alas…

"I think I can explain," Gray started with wide eyes. "That boy in the book was me."

"Really?" Happy asked. "How do you know?"

"Because my dad and I used to travel down the mountain to the sea once a year. I stopped after my dad's death though and never went back. I never knew that someone was watching me the whole time," Gray explained with slightly pink cheeks. In truth, he felt slightly creeped out after finding out someone had been watching him for years. Yet he also felt guilty. That girl found happiness watching he and his dad and he randomly stopped one day. She must have felt lonely. Though he may not have loved her like she probably hoped, he did sympathize for her.

"I'm so confused," Natsu stated. "What does Ultear have to do with this then? What is she planning?"

Lucy tapped her chin in thought and answered, "Well, now it's clear that Gray isn't just Elsa, he's also Prince Eric. He even kinda looks like him too I guess. Anyways, Prince Eric and Ariel fell in love. Maybe Ariel is Gray's happy ending."

"So Ultear is planning on doing something to her to take away my happy ending," Gray added with a scowl. He didn't want something to happen to an innocent girl just because his family was messed up. That wouldn't sit right with him.

"Which means we have to find Ariel before she does."

"Looks like we're in luck then," Gray stated. "The day that my dad and I went down to the sea was November 3rd. It was his birthday and the only time we could get away without anyone to bother us."

"November 3rd?" Happy repeated. "That's tomorrow!"

"Which means that we don't have to wait long!" Lucy exclaimed in delight. "But wait, how does Ultear know about this?"

"I'm guessing the same way we do," Natsu stated. "The book. There was a weird smell in our room but I figured it was one of the maids or something. Maybe it was Ultear and she snuck in and saw it."

"That doesn't matter anymore," Gray stated darkly. "What matters is that we help this Ariel girl from my sister before it's too late."

* * *

Boisterous chatter and laugher filled the sea as merpeople swam into the castle. King Triton was throwing a party in order to find possible suitors for his daughter. He was worried for her. After all, she rarely left her room, and when she did, a frown was always sporting her face. He knew that his daughter was unhappy in Atlantis, but there was nothing he could do for her.

Believing that love could perhaps make his daughter happy, the merman was throwing parties once a month in hopes that his daughter would find someone that made her heart soar. But alas, nobody was able to win Juvia's heart.

Juvia was a kind Princess and loved all of her subjects dearly, but not in the way her father had hoped when it came to finding a suitor. No, her heart was set on someone she met when she was a child. The only problem being he was a human.

Not only did her father despise humans, but their lives were just too different. For starters, Juvia would never be able to go on land and actually talk to the boy if she wished to live and tell about it. She guessed she would only live on land for about three days. There was also the fact that even if she could live without water sustaining her lower half, she wouldn't be able to maneuver with her tail.

Besides, it wasn't like the man that haunted her dreams ever went to the spot she first saw him anymore. It had been years since she had seen the dark-haired boy that had intrigued her. For some reason she did not know, the boy just stopped showing up. She went back every year since and had been disappointed each time.

" _This will be Juvia's last time of checking,"_ the mermaid thought to herself glumly. " _And if he isn't there, Juvia will listen to her father about finding a suitor."_

She would leave Atlantis tomorrow and head for the colder seas where the mountains were visible from the water. It was definitely harder swimming there considering she was shivering the whole time, but she would do it this one last time.

" _And then Juvia will give up on love."_

* * *

The next morning found Lucy, Natsu, Happy and Gray quickly leaving the castle after getting dressed. Gray led the way towards the edge of the mountain where the stairs spiraled around, the same ones that Lucy and the rest used to get there in the first place.

Gray, having more experience dealing with the scary steps, sped down them easily while Lucy clung to whatever she could. Natsu let out an impatient huff behind the blonde.

"Hurry up, Lucy!" he scolded. It wasn't common for him to be the one doing the scolding.

"I can't or I'll fall!" the girl retorted. "And Gray isn't making it any easier by making them slippery!"

"Huh?" the ice-mage questioned before noticing that thin layers of ice covered the steps he touched. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a little nervous."

Lucy smirked and teased, "I would be too if I was going to meet the love of my life."

Gray flushed and shot back, "Yeah, you already know about that, don't you?"

"Huh?" Lucy asked densely.

"You and Natsu."

Happy snickered while the said two blushed from head to toe, and not because of the cold air. "Finally someone says it!"

"Don't make me push you off of this mountain," Lucy threatened. "By the way, Gray, what are you planning on doing with Ariel anyways?"

The boy frowned and shrugged. "I don't know her so obviously I don't love her like she apparently loves me. I'm just trying to help her from Ultear. I'm a Prince and my coronation day is coming up soon so I can't just ignore my responsibilities trying to get to know her. Besides, I'm not into that stuff anyways. I can't even make my relationship with my siblings work."

"Maybe that's why you need Ariel. If things don't work with your family, you need to find love somewhere else!"

"That's a bit optimistic, don't you think?"

"Better than being a pessimist."

"Arguable."

The group then returned to a comfortable silence, making sure not to slip. Lucy vowed then and there that if she ever made it home she would start going to the gym so that if she was ever in another situation like this she would be better prepared. Her legs were killing her and they weren't even halfway there.

And unknown to them, Ultear was already waiting at the sea.

And that Juvia was already approaching.

* * *

Ultear smiled knowingly seeing a faint shade of bright blue hiding behind a rock that was sticking out of the water. Even though the book said Ariel had red hair, it didn't take her long to deduce that it was indeed Ariel. Using her magic, she disguised herself as an older man. With a feigned kind smile, the dark-haired woman waved at the other girl.

"Hello there!" Ultear shouted. "Do you need some help? Surely it must be cold in those waters!"

Juvia gasped behind the rock at the sight of an older man that was waving and calling out to her. Of all the years she visited, nobody had ever once noticed. Honestly, it made her feel invisible and lonely. Cautiously, the mermaid slipped out from behind the rock and swam closer to land where Ultear was waiting, smiling calmly. Juvia didn't see the evil glint in her eyes.

"H-Hello," Juvia shyly greeted as she was just in front of the man.

Ultear smiled and replied, "Hello. May I ask what you are doing all the way out here?"

Juvia fidgeted and answered, "Juvia is waiting for someone."

Ultear momentarily questioned the name change but shrugged it off considering Gray was called Elsa in the book. "May I ask who? My name is Zalty, maybe I can help you find them."

"Zalty?" Juvia questioned. It was a strange name. Perhaps all humans had strange names. "Juvia is afraid she cannot tell you who she is looking for because she doesn't know his name."

"Oh? Then why don't you leave the water and search for him instead of waiting."

"Juvia cannot do that either. Juvia is a mermaid and cannot move well outside of water. And Juvia wouldn't be able to stay out for long; she needs water to survive."

Ultear smiled with an underlying wickedness as she stated, "I can help you with that!"

The mermaid's blue eyes widened as she gaped at the man. "R-Really?"

"Of course! I'm a mage! I can use magic!"

"Juvia can too, but Juvia's magic can't help her in this situation."

"Mine can, but only if you want. I can change you into a human!"

Juvia slowly shook her head in disbelief. "That is not possible."

"But of course it is," Ultear replied, her grin growing. "Would you like me to show you?"

Juvia nodded frantically. If the man really could make her a human, she could possibly find the boy that she had been in love with for years! Ultear smirked as she waved her hand in front of the mermaid and with a bright glow, Juvia's body reformed.

Juvia blinked once, then twice from where she sat in the shallow water. Nothing really _felt_ different. Then she glanced at her tail and gasped at the sight of legs. _Her_ legs. The blue, scaly tail was no longer there. Granted, the lower half of her body was naked, she didn't mind. She was just excited to have legs.

With an ecstatic smile, the blunette rose to her feet, only to fall immediately. Standing was a new experience for her, one that would take time to learn. But she wouldn't give up because it meant that she could find her love.

"Thank you so much, Zalty!" Juvia gushed. "Juvia is human! Juvia can find the man she loves now!"

"It was my pleasure," Ultear replied with a smirk. "Well if you'll excuse me, I must get going now. Good luck finding the man you love."

And with that, Ultear left, leaving Juvia to gush over her new body.

Little did she know that she was in danger.

* * *

 **AN:** Ultear is Ursula! :D Do you guys have any guesses as to what's going to happen? ;D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **samiraahmed12, SilentMockingjay, Guest, TheDigitalDork, Ray Akaba 210, ThatPixleDino, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, AnimaMagic, Nalulove.**


	33. Chapter 33

**AN:** I've decided that I will write the story with the cruise after I finish War. :) For those that voted the texting one, I will write that after I finish Fairy Tail or the cruise one haha. :) Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 33

Ariel

Gray hurriedly led the way through snow-topped trees after finally getting off of the mountain. His kingdom was protected well up above but it certainly did hinder leaving and returning. Rushing as fast as his now bare legs could take him, relief flooded the boy at the sight of the sea not too far. He hadn't been there since his father died but he didn't pay attention to the painful memories. Instead, he focused on the fact that somebody that cared for him was there and needed help.

Lucy grinned seeing the lake up ahead and willed her legs to continue running. Back in Seattle, she got tired walking from the bookstore back to her apartment and now she was running through forests and climbing mountains. She was definitely in better shape now than she was before.

When the group finally passed the clearing of trees, they stared at the dark blue water in front of them, the waves gently lolling. Gray recognized the spot he would visit with his father, marked by an oversized log that had never been pulled from shore, even after all that time had passed.

"Wait, I think I see her!" Lucy announced. "That has to be her! Over there!"

Gray glanced at the blonde and followed her pointed finger. Off in the distance he could make out a girl with a head of blue hair, not too bright and not too dark. It was actually a calming shade. He rushed towards the girl to make sure she was alright.

When Gray approached her, Juvia whipped her head around to face him and her breath hitched in her throat while her jaw hung on its hinges. Her heart skipped a beat- more than one actually- as she took in his appearance. He had obviously grown since the last time she saw him. Raven locks of hair topped off his head while his dark eyes gazed into hers questioningly. There was a scar she could faintly see over his forehead. Oh, and she definitely noticed that he was shirtless, not wearing the pants that she had used to see him wear. His abs were chiseled to perfection. Still, she immediately recognized him.

Gray on the other hand blushed a bright crimson when he noticed that the girl wasn't wearing any underwear, only a blue-shell bikini top. He knew that he wasn't the best to talk about stripping, but at least he wasn't completely naked… yet.

"L-Lucy!" he called out, still looking at Juvia. No matter how embarrassed he felt, he couldn't tear his gaze away. "Your pants! Give them to her!"

"What!?" the blonde shrieked, then she noticed that the girl washed up on shore was naked, save for the blue bikini top. "I'll give her my coat. It'll cover her and give her even more warmth. She's probably freezing."

"What about you?" Happy asked, seeing the girl remove her coat so she was in nothing but a tee-shirt.

"I'll just have Natsu keep me warm."

The said boy scoffed in amusement and asked, "What am I, your personal heater or something?"

Lucy smirked and answered, "Yep."

Juvia glanced at the others with curiosity. The blonde girl, which Juvia figured was Lucy, smiled at her as she handed her the pink coat. Juvia hesitantly accepted before throwing it on. Then she let her gaze roam back to the boy she had been in love with.

The two stared into each other's eyes, unable to look away. Gray still had a faint blush on his cheeks while Juvia's cheeks were unashamedly red. Neither said a word, as if scared it would ruin the moment.

Lucy smiled at the two and stifled her giggles. She was never a believer of love at first sight before, but seeing Gray and Juvia gaze at each other immediately changed that. She didn't want to interrupt, but they were on a mission and it was far too chilly to be sitting around.

"Gray, maybe we should take her to the castle," Lucy suggested.

Juvia was disappointed when the boy's eyes left her and traveled to the blonde. Her brows furrowed as she gritted out, "Love rival."

Lucy sputtered, "T-That's not it! Gray and I are just friends!"

"Lies! You're Juvia's love rival!"

"Juvia?" Gray repeated, immediately gaining the blunette's attention. He could practically see the hearts in her eyes. She really did love him even though they had never talked. And he had to admit, she was pretty.

"Yes!" Juvia exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Juvia would love to marry you!"

The rest of the group blanched at the girl while Gray shouted with flushed cheeks, "I wasn't proposing!"

"You weren't? Oh. Juvia thought wrong. What is it?"

Gray grumbled in reply, "We should get back to the castle. You're in danger."

"Danger? How?"

"My sister," Gray answered, averting his gaze, guilty. "It's a long story, we'll explain when we get there. C'mon."

Juvia blushed and replied, "Juvia is sorry to be a burden, but she cannot walk. Juvia just traded her tail for these legs so that she could be human and find her true love. Juvia isn't used to them yet.

Gray sighed softly as he kneeled in front of the former mermaid. "I'll just carry you then." Juvia blushed happily while she wrapped her arms around Gray's neck and he carried her on his back. He knew that her bare flesh was touching his back and it warmed his body greatly, bringing another blush to his face. "Hold on tight."

"Okay," Juvia replied, resting her chin on Gray's shoulder.

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief knowing they found her before Ultear could. A cold breeze then blew by, causing the girl to shiver and hug herself. Glancing at Natsu, she smirked before knocking herself into his side.

"Ready to go, heater?" she teased with a smirk.

Natsu chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to warm her up. "I should just let you freeze to death."

"You wouldn't!"

"I could."

Happy snickered watching the two bicker back and forth. They then caught up with Gray and Juvia, exhausted and nowhere near happy to have to climb back up the mountain.

* * *

An hour and a half later, the group found themselves approaching the castle. Everyone besides Juvia released heavy sighs of relief, the blunette didn't have a need to considering she was carried the entire time. She was surprised that Gray was able to carry her the entire way. Natsu offered to help at some point, to which the dark-haired boy refused, lighting Juvia's heart.

"Prince Gray!" one of the guards exclaimed at the sight of the beloved Prince. "You've returned!"

Gray nodded and replied, "Lead us to a spare room. Juvia is going to be staying with us for a while."

Juvia internally squealed at that. When they entered the guest room, Lucy immediately noticed that it was just like hers, though it was empty of belongings. The blonde wanted to chuckle knowing that Natsu's room was small and dingy compared to both girls'.

Gray gently set Juvia on the bed, who reluctantly let go.

"My name is Gray," the boy finally stated after realizing he hadn't introduced himself yet. "I'm Prince of this kingdom."

Juvia smiled brightly and echoed, "Gray. What a wonderful name. Juvia is a Princess back in Atlantis."

"Atlantis?" Lucy repeated with wide eyes. "That place is real?"

"Of course," the other girl replied, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. She still didn't trust her, especially after seeing how friendly she was with Gray.

Gray noticed the harsh glare Juvia sported and awkwardly chuckled. "Maybe you can hold off on the jealousy? Lucy and I really are just friends."

"Maybe to you, but she could think otherwise."

"She doesn't, trust me. So what are you doing out of Atlantis?"

Juvia smiled softly and answered, "To find you. Juvia has been in love with Gray-sama for years."

"And you gave up your tail to find me?" Gray asked, stunned. He never imagined somebody would ever fall in love for him in the first place. Of course, there were many girls that claimed so, but he knew it was because of his looks or title as Prince. But Juvia was already a princess, she was different.

"Of course!" the blunette chirped. "Juvia was never really happy in Atlantis. She loves her family and kingdom but she needs something more. Juvia just doesn't belong there. So, Juvia swam here to find Gray-sama, but someone else was there instead!"

The rest of the group exchanged worried looks before addressing the former mermaid.

"You said someone else was there?" Gray questioned. "Before us?"

Juvia nodded and answered, "Yes. Juvia wanted to be a human, so they used some type of magic and now Juvia is no longer a mermaid! Juvia can be with Gray-sama!"

"Things really aren't that simple," Lucy said with a sigh. "I know you're from Atlantis, but are you familiar with King Heartfilia's curse?"

"Yes, it is one of the many reasons my father despises humans. The King's curse affects those from the sea as well as on land."

"Well I'm the savior to the curse," the blonde explained with a heavy sigh. Having to say that over and over again really got tiring. "The way I can bring back the happy endings is with this book that has everyone's stories in it, including yours and Gray's. Gray's is a bit… _complicated."_

"Complicated? Juvia doesn't understand."

"My sister is evil and my brother tried killing me yesterday," Gray stated bluntly.

"Juvia, in this book you are someone named Ariel," Lucy explained, trying to get the conversation back on track. "And in the story, Ariel goes to a witch to become human."

"Like Juvia!" the blunette exclaimed with a grin.

"Yes. But you see, the witch was evil and was plotting against Ariel the whole time."

"So you think Zalty was plotting against Juvia?"

"Zalty?" Natsu repeated. "I thought your sister's name was Ultear."

"It is," Gray replied. "Probably just using a fake name to throw us off. She must really think we're stupid."

Lucy ignored the two and focused on the girl in front of her. If they were right, Juvia was in danger, despite the warm smile on her face.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked. "Like does anything hurt?"

Juvia shook her head and answered, "No. Juvia feels perfectly fine. Juvia believes it must be a misunderstanding because now she can talk to her lovely Gray-sama. Juvia is grateful to Zalty. And Zalty was a man, not a woman."

"As long as she feels fine it's okay, right?" Happy asked.

Nobody believed that but had nothing else they could do about it, especially since Juvia still believed Ultear to be a kind woman. The only thing they could do was confront the woman herself, but it wasn't like they had proof to do so anyways.

"I guess we'll just let you rest now," Lucy stated, not feeling satisfied with the matter. Still, she was far too exhausted to do anything else. "Let's go, Natsu, Happy."

The three left with a wave, leaving Gray alone with the girl that was supposedly his true love. Unable to meet her gaze, the boy opted for staring outside the window instead. How was he supposed to talk to a girl that had been in love with him for years when he didn't even know she existed?

" _Damn it, Lucy!"_ he mentally cursed. " _Why would you leave me to talk to her by myself?"_

"Gray-sama?" Juvia called out. "Are you okay?"

Gray reluctantly faced her and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I just don't know what to say to you."

Juvia arched a brow and asked, "Why not?"

"Because you think you're in love with me-"

"Juvia _is_ in love with you."

"Right. You _are_ in love with me and it's kinda awkward because I… I can't say I feel the same," Gray stated truthfully, guilt tugging at his heart. What? He wasn't going to lead the girl on. Expecting the girl to burst into tears, Gray was surprised to see her smile instead.

"Juvia understands," she said. "Juvia didn't expect you to. Gray-sama doesn't know a thing about Juvia yet."

Gray breathed a small sigh of relief before replying, "You don't know anything about me either, why are you in love with me?"

"Because Gray intrigued Juvia the moment she saw him. Juvia can't describe these feelings well, but Juvia knows more than anything that she loves you. Maybe Gray-sama and Juvia can get to know each other better?"

Gray's eyes widened for a second and then relaxed along with the rest of his body. He had expected Juvia to want to get together immediately, especially since he met her and she thought he was proposing. But now he knew that she wasn't rushing him, which was important to him. He was a complicated individual with a complicated past. Time was something he needed. And it was something he would be willing to give in order to get to know Juvia more. Gray smiled at the blunette.

"I'd like that."

* * *

 **AN:** I like Gruvia the most when they are just simply hanging around each other and Juvia isn't in Juvia-mode lol. So there was just a hint of Gruvia for now! :) What do you think is Ultear's plan? ;D

Thank you so so so much my lovely reviewers: **HollyDragneel, Lizz Cold 790, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, TheDigitalDork, AfroGaming, samiraahmed12, Meow Orbit, SakuraMoon2016, Ray Akaba 210, CatFaceCaitlyn, Nalulove, ThatPixleDino, Guest, Soul Eater Maka, Guest, Arethelya, crazydaisy-in-tha-house, Amourshippingfan24.**


	34. Chapter 34

**AN:** We'll find out Ultear's plan next chapter! Until then, enjoy this chapter! :D

And here's the first paragraph to the cruise story I'm writing as a sneak peek! ;D I really like writing it and already have everything planned out except for the title lol.

 _Call today to reserve your spot for a two week cruise!_

Lucy tapped her blue-painted fingernails on the brochure, her head resting in the palm of her other hand as she studied the pamphlet with piqued curiosity. Her body was aching from head to toe, screaming at her to pick up and call. A relaxing vacation was just what the girl needed, especially after the hefty amount of grueling jobs she had taken with Natsu and Happy to make some money after the seven years they had been asleep on Tenrou Island. The only problem was she didn't want to go alone.

What do you guys think of it so far? :D

* * *

Chapter 34

Calm Before the Storm

After talking to Juvia, Lucy sighed tiredly as she plopped onto her bed, Natsu and Happy following suit. After nonstop walking, the girl's body was the sorest it had ever been, even after that one time she went to a gym seven days straight- something she vowed never to do again. Her eyes began to feel heavy as sleep was tugging at her.

"You two should leave so I can sleep," the blonde stated. "I don't even remember inviting you in here."

"Too tired to get up," Natsu replied. "Let us sleep here."

"No way. There's no other bed for you."

"But Luuucy," Happy whined. "We're a team. We should always be together!"

"You're just saying that so you don't have to leave," Lucy replied, seeing right through the cat's trick. Still, she was too tired to keep arguing with them. Nudging the two out of the way, the girl climbed into bed and under the blanket. "You can sleep here as long as you stay on top of the blanket."

At least the blanket would separate them a little bit.

Natsu shrugged and climbed next to the blonde, settling in comfortably with Happy in between them. Not like he needed a blanket anyways, he was a fire dragon slayer. In the matter of seconds, the trio were in deep sleeps.

* * *

Meanwhile deeper in the castle, Lyon Vastia's eyes opened for the first time since his fight with Gray. Blinking twice, the boy glanced around to find his fiancé at his bedside, her head resting on his chest. Smiling, he smoothed down her pink hair.

Meredy's eyes slowly fluttered open at the touch and she lifted her head to find Lyon smiling at her.

"Lyon! You're awake!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck.

The boy winced at the pain that shot through his body due to Meredy unknowingly leaning on him. Ignoring it, he replied, "I am. And what about Deliora? What happened?"

Meredy frowned at her fiancé and answered, "He was dead the whole time. But that shouldn't matter anymore. What matters is that you're alive."

"I know."

"Huh?"

"I know," Lyon repeated, smiling at the girl. "And I'm glad Deliora was dead. It means Ur's sacrifice wasn't for nothing."

"What about your goal?" Meredy questioned.

The boy shrugged and answered, "It was a brash idea anyways. I guess I just lost it after Ur died and I went around blaming anything I could. My goal should have been making you happy. When I proposed to you, I wanted to make a life with you. You should've been my priority then, not some stupid demon."

Meredy frowned and bit her bottom lip. As happy as she was hearing such words from the man she loved, it only reminded her of the lies she had been telling from the start. The girl was honestly stuck, not knowing what to do. She didn't want to go along with Ultear's plan anymore but she didn't want to abandon her either.

Ultear was more than some lady that took her in. She was her best friend. And Meredy did want to give her happiness, but now she wasn't sure if this was the way. She loved Lyon and honestly she had no qualms against Gray either.

But how was she going to fix it now?

"Are you okay?" Lyon asked, bringing the girl out of her depressing thoughts.

Meredy feigned a smile and lied, "Of course! Now get some rest. You need it after everything that happened."

The couple smiled at each other before Lyon dozed off once again. Meredy still wasn't sure what she was going to do but she knew one thing. She didn't want to blindly follow Ultear anymore. She wanted to make a path of her own. One where she wasn't betraying the man she loved.

* * *

Juvia burst into a fit of giggles, trying to quiet them by placing her hands in front of her mouth. Since the others left, she and Gray had been trying to get to know each other. Gray would tell her stories and the former-mermaid would listen intently, making sure not to miss a single word. He had just finished telling her of the time his master, Ur, beat him silly after he challenged her to a fight.

"So what about you?" Gray asked with a small smile. "Any stories from the sea you wanna tell me about?"

Juvia frowned and shook her head. "Nothing interesting has ever really happened to Juvia until she left Atlantis and came here."

"Really? Nothing at all?"

"Not that Juvia can think of. Juvia has a family and Juvia loves them but her sisters are older and have lives of their own. Juvia's father is King of the Sea so he is always busy. Juvia has been lonely this whole time."

"What about friends?" Gray asked.

Juvia's frown deepened as she explained, "Juvia didn't have friends. Juvia is too different from everyone else."

"How so?"

"Juvia talks differently. And other mermaids are fine with living in the water and aren't curious about this world. Juvia was never fine living there. Juvia knew there was so much more of the world to see. Other mermaids teased her when her father wasn't looking."

Gray furrowed his brows, not fond of the idea of others bullying the kind girl in front of him. Sure Juvia was different, but it wasn't in a bad way. In fact, he was fascinated by her and wanted to know all he could about her. In the matter of hours they spent talking, he could see why the book said he was supposed to love her.

Because he was already falling.

Ever since he laid eyes on Juvia, Gray felt his insides churning with something he had never felt before. He had felt fear, sadness, anxiety, all the sorts. But nothing that could explain what he felt now. Despite being on a snowy mountain and having ice magic, the boy felt warm around the girl. And he had smiled more that day then he had in the past years.

Maybe love at first sight was real. That would explain his feelings. Lucy did tell him that the book never lied. Gray wasn't one to be in denial about things. No matter how surprising something was, he was usually able to accept them. And that was why he was accepting the fact that he had feelings for Juvia.

Feelings he wanted to grow. But he couldn't do that knowing that her life was at stake.

Gray frowned at himself. He had been spending so much time talking to Juvia that he forgot she was in danger. Ultear was planning something, he knew that, but he didn't know what. However, it wouldn't be smart to just confront his sister, especially since he didn't know what she had over Juvia.

But he still felt uneasy.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia called out, bringing the Prince out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," he replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Guess I spaced out a bit."

"Is it because of what you and the others were talking about earlier?" the girl asked. "About your sister? You really think she is trying to hurt Juvia?"

Gray nodded. "Yeah. Ultear hasn't forgiven me since Ur's death and I think she wants to hurt you to get back at me."

"And you think Zalty was Ultear?"

"I do. I just don't know what she's up to. I think she gave you legs because she wants me to get to know you before hurting you."

"Juvia is not weak. Juvia can use magic to protect herself."

Gray arched a brow. "You can? Mermaids can use magic?"

Juvia smiled and nodded. "Juvia uses elemental magic." In demonstration, the girl sent a created a small bubble of water floating above her hand.

"You're a water mage?"

"Yep! Most attacks don't hurt Juvia because her body is made of water. So Juvia doesn't think Ultear will be able to hurt her anyways."

"So you believe me about Ultear?"

"Of course! If Gray-sama says Ultear is trying to hurt Juvia, she will believe him. Juvia trusts Gray-sama with her life."

Gray smiled and held a hand out to the girl. "Since you're human now, you should learn how to walk."

Juvia beamed as she threw the blanket off of her and threw her feet over the side of the bed. Despite falling before, the girl was still eager to use her new set of legs. To Juvia, they symbolized her humanity. No longer did she have a scaly blue tail. Her legs just seemed so much more fitting.

Accepting Gray's helpful hand, Juvia got up and stood on her feet, her legs wobbling beneath her. Thanks to Gray, she didn't fall- though she knew if he let go she would face-plant the floor in seconds. Gray chuckled as he held both of the girl's hands and took slow steps around the room. Juvia mirrored his movements, a face-splitting grin on her face. She was walking! Sure she needed help, but she was walking like humans do.

"Juvia wants to try on her own!" the girl exclaimed after a few moments of circling the room.

Gray frowned and worriedly asked, "You sure? You might fall."

"Falling will help Juvia learn!"

Gray chuckled and slowly let go of the girl's hands, his fingers sliding from beneath hers. He kept them close to Juvia in case she fell so that he could catch her. To his surprise, however, Juvia maintained her balance and was able to stand on her own.

Juvia giggled in excitement before lifting a leg to take a step. And then she fell on her bum.

"Ouch," she complained, rubbing her rear. "It was easy when Gray-sama was helping."

"That's because I was keeping you up," Gray explained. "Sorry I didn't catch you. I guess I wasn't fast enough."

"That's okay! Juvia is having fun!"

"You're having fun falling?"

"Yep! It is an experience Juvia hasn't had before! Falling in water isn't really possible."

Gray chuckled and replied, "I guess not."

He watched as Juvia continuously tried to walk, stumbling each time. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking, like they couldn't support the weight of the rest of her body like they were supposed to. It was like watching a baby learn how to walk. They knew she would get the hang of it eventually, but it would take time.

Something they didn't know Juvia did not have.

* * *

Lucy yawned as her eyes fluttered open. There was a soft light seeping through the cracks of the blinds, but it was moonlight rather than sunlight. Apparently she had been sleeping for longer than she thought. Turning her head, the girl wasn't surprised to find Natsu and Happy sprawled beside her on the bed, the former's leg thrown over hers.

Lucy was about to shake them awake to kick them out of her room before she decided against it. Natsu was providing warmth that she didn't want to lose. Besides, they already slept beside her for hours, what could a few more do?

The girl was about to snuggle into bed again before a small wave of guilt washed over her. She could see- and feel- Happy shivering, despite being next to Natsu. It was probably because he wasn't under the blanket since she prohibited them from it.

With heavy arms, Lucy lazily lifted the blanket and pulled it over Happy's small body. Then she stared at Natsu. Was he cold too? Even if he wasn't, he probably preferred sleeping with a blanket. Who wouldn't? Reluctantly, the blonde managed to retrieve the blanket from under the dragon slayer and pull it over him instead. Now there wasn't a barrier between them- other than Happy, but that didn't help much since he slept by their heads and was too small to shield the rest of her body.

Still, Lucy found herself not fretting over the matter as much as she thought she should and instead let her eyes drift closed to sleep again.

Natsu peeked an eye open to make sure Lucy was back to sleep before opening the other eye. He stared at Lucy's sleeping face, her golden hair splayed around her like a halo. She seemed so calm and peaceful.

Natsu knew he was starting to feel something _more_ for the blonde. At first she was just an annoying nuisance that made things more complicated than necessary, but now she was one of his best friends. She was someone he would gladly give up his life for if necessary. She was someone he couldn't imagine being without anymore.

He was falling for her, just like Happy said would happen. And quite frankly, it scared him. He wasn't used to these feelings at all and had no idea what to do with them. He certainly couldn't act on them because he knew she would end up going back to her world and they would never see her again. Or would she?

Lucy said so herself that she didn't have friends or family back in Earth. Would he and Happy be enough for her to stay here? Maybe if he told her that her dad was actually here she would stay.

But he couldn't do that. He knew it was the right thing to do, but he just couldn't. How could he tell her that the man she had been looking for her whole life was actually the guy she had been talking ill of since she came to Earthland? How could he tell her that her father was the man that cursed the kingdom?

And more importantly, what if she went to meet with him and he ended up disappointing her?

He couldn't let that happen.

But he didn't want Lucy to leave either.

Every option seemed terrible to Natsu. He felt guilty for keeping such an important truth from Lucy but he just couldn't bring himself to do otherwise. At least not yet.

He just hoped that she wouldn't hate him if she ever found out.

* * *

 **AN:** Got a peek of Natsu's feelings. Looks like he knows he's starting to feel something for her! :D And Gruvia is so cute haha. :') Btw, if anyone reads War, I'm super sorry for not updating in a while and I probably won't update later today either. The truth is, my love of writing that story is gone and so I'm just going to focus on stories that I actually enjoy writing for now. I will finish it one day, I promise. But I need a break from it. So Thursdays will no longer be its updating day. :')

Thanks to the reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, TheDigitalDork, samiraahmed12, Soul Eater Maka, ThatPixleDino, HollyDragneel, Flire and Ice, Alexa60765, Nalulove, Lunahartz.**


	35. Chapter 35

**AN:** Time to find out what Ultear's been planning! :D THERE IS A LOT OF IMPORTANT STUFF THIS CHAPTER AHH. I actually REALLY like this chapter haha. And yay we're at 400 reviews! As always, there'll be a sneak peek at the end! :D

* * *

Chapter 35

The Storm

Lucy's eyes fluttered open the next morning, immediately noticing the lack of warmth. Rolling over, the girl found that both Natsu and Happy were gone. Truthfully, she was surprised that they left without waking her up. The two were usually clingy, it was strange that they decided to go back to their room at all.

Lucy threw her feet over the side of the bed, ready to start her day when something dropped in her bathroom. Knowing it wasn't Natsu or Happy- she could usually sense their presence, probably by their magic- the girl instantly grabbed her keys and rose from her bed. Quietly inching towards the bathroom, the blonde readied herself for a fight.

" _Maybe Ultear is here or even Lyon,"_ she thought as she noiselessly wrapped her hand around the doorknob before throwing the door open.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and scanned the bathroom for the intruder, only to find that it was empty. Her hairbrush was lying on the floor, obviously the thing that fell. The only question was, how? Shrugging it off since nobody was there, the girl summed it up to being the wind.

Until she turned around and was met with a dull pair green eyes.

Lucy shrieked and stepped back, ready to summon one of her spirits until she noticed it was just a young girl, fourteen years old at most. She had blonde hair like hers, but rather than a golden blonde, it was a pale, pastel yellow. It was long and rolled in gentle waves, a bit of it perked up. Her eyes were big and dull, her lips curled into a bright smile. She wore a pink frilly dress and had strange wing-like decorations in her hair.

Overall, she was a cute girl. Still, it was strange that she was in Lucy's room.

"Who are you?" Lucy demanded, keeping her fingers over Aquarius' key just in case. It would be easy to turn on the faucet and summon the cranky mermaid and she would if need be.

The girl only smiled and ignored Lucy's question, instead replying, "Sorry about the hairbrush. I was trying to brush my hair but since it's so long I accidentally dropped it. It's nice to finally meet you, Lucy Ashley!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes in suspicion and questioned, "So you know who I am?"

"Of course!" the girl answered, her smile never wavering. "You're the savior of this kingdom!"

"Then who are you?"

"That can be answered some other time. For now, let's talk about you. You're making wonderful progress! How many happy endings have you delivered so far?"

"Two," Lucy answered warily. "Three if you count Shirotsume. Oh wait, four since Hansel and Gretel and Sleeping Beauty are different stories."

The girl smiled and replied, "It's a confusing matter, isn't it? Still, you're doing well. This story seems to be giving you trouble though."

Lucy crossed her arms and replied, "Yeah because there's so much to look out for and it's another intertwined story. Everything with Ultear and Lyon is making this hard. Wait a second, how do you know about all of this?"

"I'll explain that to you the day I tell you who I am. For now, just think of me as your fairy godmother!" the girl answered with a bright grin. "Since you're doing so well, I'll give you a hint on how to finish this story. Not everything is as it seems."

"How is that supposed to help me? That isn't a very good hint."

"I suppose you're right. How about this then? People are created a certain way and they are typically supposed to stay that way. If it were so easy to change who we are, we would constantly be changing ourselves."

"That's not much better…"

"Sorry, but it's all I can give you. I hope you figure it out, Lucy. And I hope you do soon, before it's too late."

And with that, the girl literally faded away, leaving Lucy to gape at her disappearance. What did that girl mean? Was it a trick? Could she be trusted? Lucy was on the fence about that. On the one hand, she was just a young girl that gave off no malicious intent. On the other hand, she knew looks could be deceiving.

"Lucy? You awake yet?" she heard Natsu call out before he opened her door, Happy following behind him.

"You could knock," Lucy replied irately. "But yeah, I'm awake. C'mon, let's go check on Gray and Juvia."

When they reached the room, Lucy greeted the two happily before sitting beside Juvia's bed. Natsu studied Juvia, hearing her breathing strangely. It sounded strained, painful even. And from the sweat dotting her face and the way her eyes squinted slightly, he could tell that she was in pain despite the cheery smile she had plastered to her face.

"Are you okay?" Natsu questioned.

Juvia's eyes widened, surprised that somebody was able to notice and lied, "Of course! Juvia is fine!"

Gray stared at the former-mermaid worriedly and asked, "You sure? You shouldn't lie if you don't feel well. I can have a nurse come by and have a look at you."

"No, no. Juvia is fine!" the girl insisted. She then inhaled a sharp breath and grasped the covers tightly for comfort. Her face was scrunched in pain as her breathing grew louder, letting everyone in the room hear how strained it was.

"Juvia? What's wrong!?" Gray questioned frantically.

No longer able to hide it anymore, Juvia grunted in pain as she struggled to answer, "Can't… breathe… It hurts…" She clutched her chest and tried to steady her breaths while her throat constricted painfully, but it was futile. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't breathe and was running out of air quickly.

"So it's happening now, is it?" a sudden voice called from the doorway.

Everyone turned to find a small man with a strange, colorful mask on his face with four horns. He had long, wild green hair and a sinister smile. Natsu growled at the man, then scrunched his nose at the smell of women's perfume.

"Who are you?" the dragon slayer demanded, igniting his fists with flames. "You smell like a girl."

"Zalty," Juvia ground out.

"Zalty?" Happy repeated. "You mean the one that gave you your legs?"

"In other words, Ultear," Gray spat, glowering at the man.

Zalty laughed and replied, "So it seems my disguise is useless. Oh well." Then his body and clothes morphed until a woman with dark hair was standing in front of them. She smirked at the group and continued, "Good to see you, Gray. You too, Juvia."

"What did you do to her?" Gray demanded, leaping towards his adoptive sister with an ice sword in hand.

Ultear laughed crudely before using her magic to evaporate his ice. Before Natsu could attack, she sent a flying orb straight into his gut, knocking him back into the wall.

Lucy stood protectively in front of Juvia. Whatever Ultear came for, it had to do with the blunette and she wasn't going to let her hurt Juvia. Ultear's gaze landed on the blonde and her smile grew.

"To think I would see the savior myself. What an honor," Ultear mocked before sending her orb towards Lucy. Luckily, Natsu melted it with his fire before it hit her.

"Don't even think about hurting Lucy," he spat.

Suddenly, a pain-wretched cry escaped Juvia's mouth as she writhed in bed, her hands clenching her shirt. Her body shook as tears slid down her cheeks. Lucy tried comforting her and frantically searched for any clue as to what was wrong with her. Then it hit her.

" _Not everything is as it seems."_

" _How_ _is that supposed to help me? That isn't a very good hint."_

" _I suppose you're right. How about this then? People are created a certain way and they are typically supposed to stay that way. If it were so easy to change who we are, we would constantly be changing ourselves."_

 _"That's not much better…"_

 _"Sorry, but it's all I can give you. I hope you figure it out, Lucy. And I hope you do soon, before it's too late."_

Juvia let out another pained cry, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts. The blonde glanced at Ultear, recalling the way her body changed. She was able to transform her appearance, but in reality she was still Ultear, not Zalty. Meaning…

"We need to get Juvia in some water _now_!" Lucy exclaimed frantically.

"What? Why?" Gray questioned.

Ultear smiled and chimed in, "So you figured it out, huh?"

Lucy glared at the woman and replied, "Yeah, I did. Just like you were able to change your appearance but not your true self, you changed Juvia's appearance!"

"What does that mean?" Happy asked, confused over the matter.

"It means Juvia is still a mermaid! She just _looks_ human!"

"Shit! Mermaids can't survive outside of water for long!" Natsu shouted.

Ultear laughed as she indulged herself with the worried looks on their faces. She wasn't expecting them to figure out her plan so soon, but it didn't matter. It was too late anyways. Waving her hand in the air, the woman undid her magic on Juvia, revealing the girl's blue, scaly tail.

Gray glowered at his sister, ready to attack again but stopped when Lucy held him back. Ultear smirked before disappearing, leaving them all to tend to the suffering girl on the bed.

"She's not important right now!" she exclaimed. "Getting Juvia to water is our priority!"

"I turned on the faucet in the bathtub!" Happy informed them.

Gray picked Juvia up and quickly set her in the tub, watching as the water drenched the tee shirt she was wearing and covered her skin and tail. To their surprise and dismay, Juvia still squirmed in pain. She still couldn't breathe.

"It has to be… water from Juvia's home," the water mage informed the group. "Juvia needs to return to the sea…"

"The sea? It'll take us forever to get there!" Lucy exclaimed worriedly.

"Doesn't matter," Gray replied, scooping Juvia into his arms again. He wasn't about to give up, not with her life on the line. "We need to try!"

The group nodded and rushed out of the castle and towards the steps that spiraled around the mountain. The snow slowed them down until Natsu ran in front of them and breathed fire on their path, melting the snow. They reached the steps quickly and began their descend.

"It took us hours to get there last time!" Happy reminded the group. "Do you think we'll make it?"

"We have to!" Lucy replied. "I refuse to let Juvia die when I was supposed to save her!"

Gray stayed surprisingly quiet. He was unbelievably angry with Ultear but he was too focused on Juvia's wellbeing to think about it. The girl's head rested on his chest as he rushed down the steps, careful so as not to slip. Her breathing was growing more ragged.

They didn't have time. Not like this.

"Everyone sit down on a step," Gray instructed as he crouched on one himself. "Hurry!"

They did as they were told and watched as Gray broke his one rule and used one-handed magic to create a slide of ice over the steps. He hoped it wasn't too imbalanced to break under their weight but he had no choice. It was risky but it was the only way to save Juvia in time. In seconds, the group was sliding down the ice.

Lucy screeched at the top of her lungs as she slid down the mountain. At every turn or bump, the girl feared falling off. She almost did once but luckily Natsu steadied her before she could. Just as Gray planned, they were nearing the bottom of the mountain in minutes.

Juvia forced her eyes open and glanced at Gray. His dark locks of hair were flying in the wind and determination shone in his eyes. He wanted to save her. It warmed her heart.

But her heart only broke knowing that they still weren't going to make it in time.

Even if they were to already be at the bottom of the mountain- which they weren't- they still had to run through the forest until they reached the shore. It was impossible.

Not wanting to waste her final moments, Juvia brought a shaky hand to Gray's face, surprising him.

"Juvia is glad she was able to meet you," she breathed out.

Gray held her tighter and replied, "Don't talk. Save your breath."

The girl shook her head. "Juvia wants to talk to her lovely Gray-sama until she no longer can. Let Juvia."

Gray felt tears pricking his eyes as he reluctantly nodded. "Alright, but we're going to save you, got it? Don't go dying on me now!"

"Juvia doesn't want to. Juvia wants to spend more time with you. But Juvia hopes you won't blame yourself for her death."

"Stop talking like that! You aren't going to die!" Gray cursed under his breath realizing that his tears spilled over and were rolling down his cheeks. Just as they were nearing the end of the slide, Juvia's eyes closed and they knew she was going to die in minutes unless they somehow managed to get her to the sea.

"Happy! Can you fly Juvia there?" Natsu asked as he stood up from the slide and followed Gray as he ran towards the shore.

The exceed solemnly shook his head. "I wouldn't be able to make it all the way there. Maybe to the shore but not to the water."

Lucy stopped in her steps and instructed, "Take me."

"What?" Natsu asked.

"We don't have time for this, come on!" Gray shouted.

"Happy, take me as far as you can and as quickly as you can!" the blonde ordered. "You two keep running as fast as you can to meet us there!"

Not wanting to waste time questioning the girl, Happy quickly picked her up by her collar and flew at max speed. He was careful to avoid the snowy trees and whatever obstacles were in the way. The cat felt tears well in his eyes.

"Lucy, I'm sorry!" Happy exclaimed, the tears rolling down his fur.

"For what?" the blonde questioned sympathetically and in confusion.

"For not being able to fly Juvia to the water!" he answered. "If I was stronger I would be able to! And now Juvia is going to die because of me!"

"Happy! Don't say that! None of this is your fault! And Juvia is going to live, I'm going to make sure of it!"

Just then, Happy's wings disappeared and the two crashed onto the ground, lucky that the snow was there to cushion them slightly. Lucy could only imagine the pain she would feel if they landed on concrete. Wasting no time, the blonde rose to her feet and rushed towards the shore, quickly passing the trees.

Happy followed behind but wasn't able to keep up considering his legs were too small. But once he passed the thicket of trees, he found Lucy rushing towards the water.

Lucy dropped by the water and retrieved a golden key. Splashing it into the water and ignoring the coldness of it, she summoned Aquarius. The mermaid spirit arrived a second later, about to nag Lucy only to be interrupted.

"I need your help!" the blonde exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. "My friend! S-She's dying! She needs this water to live but she can't get here in time! Please, Aquarius! Send a wave their way!"

Aquarius noticed how desperate her owner was and sighed. Lucy was serious. There was no time for bickering. Stepping in front of the blonde, the spirit whirled around with her urn, the water in the sea building up and spiraling around her. With a grunt, the mermaid sent the water in a huge wave towards the forest, knocking down trees.

Lucy was amazed with the sheer force the water had. She was even more surprised that Aquarius didn't sweep her in it as well. Guilt washed over her though seeing Happy swept away with the wave.

"That should've reached your friend," Aquarius stated. "But don't blame me if it didn't work."

Lucy smiled and nodded at the spirit. "Thank you, Aquarius!"

"Your friend, she's a mermaid isn't she?"

"Yes! That's why she needs the water!"

"I figured. Summon me later so I can meet her."

Lucy grinned as Aquarius went back through her gate. Then, she rose to her feet and rushed towards the watery destruction to find Juvia. She could only hope the water reached her in time.

* * *

 **AN:** I personally loved this chapter lol. I hope you guys did too! Please leave me a review! :D

Here's a sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _Ultear hovered in front of Juvia with a wicked smile on her face. Creating a sword of ice, the woman threw it at the mermaid. If her original plan didn't work, she would settle killing the mermaid this way instead. She would relish in Gray's pain._

 _"Juvia!" Gray shouted._

 _Blood splashed across the sand and into the sea as the sword pierced flesh._

 **Arethelya:** Hello! Thank you for the review! :D I checked out the chapter and Gray called her by her name because Juvia already said it. :)

And thank you to the people that reviewed last chapter: **AfroGaming, HollyDragneel, TheDigitalDork, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Alexa60765, Guest, Arethelya, MissyPlatinum.** You guys are awesome. :')


	36. Chapter 36

**AN:** This arc is coming to a close soon! QOTD: What's your fav season? :) Mine is summer because there's no school and because my birthday and anniversary is in the summer so there's lots of celebrations. :D

Also, you all were right, I did mess up chap 33, I didn't see that before lol. This story is hard to keep up with names, especially Natsu/Flynn lmao. Thanks for letting me know! :D

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Chapter 36

Ultear

Natsu groaned as he forced his body to sit up. He was dizzy even just sitting down. The area around him was a complete mess with some trees knocked over and slushed snow pooling around him. Glancing around, he found Gray sprawled on the ground too before he sat up as well.

"What the hell was that?" the ice-mage questioned, holding his throbbing head.

Natsu grinned and answered, "That was Lucy."

"Lucy did this?"

"Well, one of her spirits did."

Gray nodded, remembering the cranky mermaid spirit Lucy summoned the first day they arrived. Then his eyes shot open as he glanced around, searching for Juvia. If the water reached them, she should've been fine. But what if they were too late? What if she died before the water landed on her?

Rising to his feet, Gray stumbled around, searching for a head of blue. Panic bubbled within him, not being able to find her. Even Natsu joined the search but couldn't find Juvia. What if she was crushed by a fallen tree?

"Natsu!" a familiar voice shouted as Happy waddled towards the two. "Did it work?"

"We don't know, we can't find Juvia," Natsu answered, scooping the cat into his arms. He knew Happy wasn't too fond of water, especially if it was cold.

"Keep looking," Gray ordered. "She has to be around here somewhere!"

"She is," another familiar voice replied. Lucy approached them with a triumphant grin plastered to her face as she carried Juvia on her back towards the rest of the group.

Gray and Natsu immediately ran towards the two girls. Gray took Juvia into his arms while Natsu scanned Lucy's body to make sure she wasn't injured. To his surprise, Aquarius left the blonde unscathed.

Gray breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed Juvia's chest rising and falling as she breathed. Now her breaths were steady and calm, rather than strained like before. Lucy did it. She saved Juvia. Juvia was going to be okay.

"We should take her to the sea," Lucy stated. "I brought her here so that you knew she was alright."

"Thanks, Lucy," Gray replied honestly.

With that said, the group silently traveled towards shore, their steps now slow and leisurely. There was no need to rush anymore, and even if there was, they didn't think their bodies would be able to move any faster. Soon enough, they were reaching the shore.

Gray gently placed Juvia on the edge of the water, the waves gently washing over her tail. He made sure not to put her too close to the water so that she wouldn't drift away with the waves. As happy as the boy was that Juvia was now safe, he was also saddened by what he learned.

Juvia had to stay in the sea.

Gray frowned as he gently brushed a wet lock of blue hair out of Juvia's face. After finally finding someone that made his heart more than just an organ, he had to give her up. At first he considered visiting the shore everyday but he knew he couldn't. Going there was taxing of time and energy, and he was going to be named King soon. He couldn't disappear for long times of the day. Not when he had a kingdom to watch over. He had to do the right thing and let her go.

He could only hope Juvia would understand.

Juvia's eyes slowly fluttered open. She could feel the cold water splashing her legs. Or, her _tail_ now. They made it. They actually managed to save her. Lifting her head, the girl found Gray smiling gently at her as he sat beside her, not minding when the water licked at him as well.

"You saved Juvia," she breathed out.

Gray chuckled and replied, "Lucy actually saved you."

Juvia glanced at the blonde and smiled with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Lucy. You really are the savior."

Lucy wiped tears of mirth from her eyes and replied, "It wasn't just me. It was all of us. If Natsu didn't melt the snow, if Gray didn't make a slide from the stairs, and if Happy didn't fly me to the shore, we wouldn't have made it." The blonde patted Happy's head, making sure he knew she meant her words. She had never seen the exceed so insecure of his abilities before and she wanted to make sure he knew he was essential.

"Thank you, everyone," Juvia stated happily.

"What a shame. I wasn't expecting you to live," a sudden voice said from behind them. Everyone turned to find Ultear approaching them, her face scrunched in anger. "If only you just died, it would save me from the annoying trip of coming down here."

"Ultear," Gray gritted out. "How the hell could you even think of hurting an innocent person like that!?"

The woman shrugged and answered, "Easily." She then pointed at Lucy, Natsu, and Happy. "I wouldn't have had to hurt Juvia though if these three didn't show up and ruin my first plan."

"Your first plan?"

Ultear smirked and replied, "What? You think Lyon was smart enough to find out about Moon Drip and Deliora on his own?"

"That was your doing too?" Lucy questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Yep! My dear younger brother Lyon can be quite the idiot. I disguised myself as Zalty and told him all about Deliora and Moon Drip. I told him that in order to surpass Ur, he needed to beat Deliora. The idiot actually fell for it! As if he would've been able to beat Deliora, the Demon of Destruction!"

"So you were going to have Lyon killed by Deliora?" Gray asked darkly.

Ultear smirked and answered, "Yes. Both him and you. Oh, and the entire kingdom."

"What is the matter with you!?" Lucy demanded. "You had to know that Ur was living as that ice and you melted her away!"

"That ice was nothing but ice. And how could you lecture me when it was Gray's fault she died in the first place?"

Ultear glared at Gray as memories she kept locked away resurfaced.

 _"Don't be stupid, Gray!" Ur shouted. "You can't beat Deliora!"_

 _"Shut up!" Gray replied as he left the castle and towards the menacing cries of the demon. "I'm going to avenge my parents!"_

 _Ultear watched beside Lyon as Gray stalked away. Glancing towards her mother, she saw pain flash across her face._

 _"Are we really going to let him go fight?" Lyon questioned solemnly._

 _"No," Ur answered, shaking her head. "We're not. C'mon, let's go stop him!"_

 _The trio rushed towards the destruction. Ultear gasped, tears pricking her eyes as she noticed the amount of corpses lying around, the snow red with blood. Gray was going to fight the demon that did this? He wouldn't make it out alive!  
When they finally reached Gray, they found that he was under a pile of rubbish, bruises and scrapes covering his body. It was a relief that he was still alive. _

_"What are you doing here?" the child questioned, his voice strained._

 _"Saving you!" Lyon answered while he and Ultear removed the rocks that were covering him._

 _"I don't need you to save me!" Gray shot back as he rushed forward once free from the debris. With a fierce battle cry, the child sent a weak spear of ice towards the retreating demon. It did no damage to it and only gained its attention._

 _"Shit!" Ur cursed. "Ultear, take the boys and go, now!"_

 _"What about you?" the girl, only a young teen at the time, asked._

 _Ur smiled at her daughter and answered, "Deliora isn't something I can beat. I'm afraid I won't be returning with you three."_

 _"What?" Lyon asked with wide eyes. "What do you mean? You're the strongest mage alive, of course you can beat Deliora!"_

 _Ur sighed. "I'm not the strongest, Lyon."_

 _"Don't give me that! Why would I have trained so hard if you weren't! If you won't do this, then I will!"_

 _Lyon rushed forward and stopped in front of the gigantic demon. Crossing his arms in front of him, the boy gave a crazed smile as magic emanated from him. Both Ur and Ultear recognized the spell immediately. Before Lyon could use the spell, Ur encased him in ice._

 _"Ultear! Take Gray and Lyon now!" Ur ordered._

 _Ultear watched as Ur faced off Deliora, crossing her arms in the same way Lyon just did._

 _"No," Ultear whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Don't, Mom! That will kill you!"_

 _Gray quickly rose to his feet beside the frantic girl and shouted, "Don't do this, Ur! I promise I'll listen to you from now on, just don't do this!"_

 _Ur turned and smiled at the two. "You three are my pride and joy. Ultear, you gave me the happiness of a mother. And then Lyon and Gray joined our family and my happiness only grew. Don't worry, I'll live on as ice and I'll be able to watch the three of you grow together. As a family."_

 _Ur's body then faded away into ice that encased Deliora. Gray shouted and fell to his knees, saddened cries escaping his lips while Ultear stood stunned, unable to process what happened._

 _"I'm so sorry!" she heard Gray cry. "I'm so sorry, Ur!"_

 _Ultear's brows furrowed and her jaw locked with anger. She created a dagger of ice and turned towards Gray, who didn't notice for his head was buried in his hands. Taking slow steps to the boy, she raised her hand in the air, ready to strike down. But then she stopped._

 _No, that would have been too painless of a death. What she wanted Gray to feel had to be worse. She wanted him to truly suffer, just as she did. Thus, she walked away without saying a word and left with no regards towards the boys she considered her brothers._

 _She was going to find a way to destroy Gray._

Gray glared back at Ultear. He remembered the times they shared as a family and wondered how she ended up so wicked as she did. Even Lyon wasn't as bad as her.

"I have to stop you," Gray stated, getting into his battle stance. "Even if you're like a sister to me, I can't let you keep doing this."

"Fine by me," Ultear sneered, readying herself for battle as well.

"Lucy, Natsu. You two watch over Juvia. Let me handle this."

"Are you sure?" the former asked. "You aren't completely healed from your battle with Lyon!"

"I'll be fine."

Juvia watched with wide eyes as Gray and Ultear began to fight. Every icy attack the former would send, the latter would only evaporate it with ease. Even when it came to physical attacks, Ultear seemed to have the upper hand.

Ultear laughed as she kicked Gray in the gut, sending him flying into a tree. Using her magic, she sent various objects flying towards Gray, who encased himself in ice to try to shield him. But alas, the ice was evaporated and he was pelted with every object thrown at him.

Gray staggered to his feet, panting as he did. "I will defeat you. For Ur."

Ultear glowered at the boy and shot back, "Don't you dare say her name when you're the one that killed her!"

"I didn't kill her! Deliora did!"

"Is that what you tell yourself so that you can sleep at night?"

Gray grimaced as he used his ice to slash his torso. Blood oozed from his body and into his ice, turning it a deep red. He then launched himself at his sister.

Ultear sneered and attempted to evaporate the ice, only to realize that she couldn't because his blood was in it.

"Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance!" Gray shouted as he spun around and slashed Ultear.

Ultear glowered as she rose to her feet, bleeding and panting. "I can't lose. Not to you!" Realizing her Arc of Time magic wasn't going to work anymore, the woman opted for using her ice-make magic, something she had stopped using since her mother's death.

Gray smiled nostalgically and stated, "Your ice is just like Ur's. You are her flesh and blood after all."

"Shut up!" Ultear shouted, attacking him over and over again. "Ice Make: Rosen Krone!" Dozens of ice roses and stems with thorns attacked Gray, knocking him to the side and binding him. He tried to escape it but failed.

Gray watched as Ultear stalked towards Natsu and Lucy. Using her Arc of Time again, she sent her orb flying into Natsu's gut and launching him feet away.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried worriedly before Ultear kicked her in the face, knocking her out cold. Happy flew towards Ultear and clawed at her face, only to be swatted away like a fly.

"Lucy!" Juvia shouted. The mermaid sent the water from the sea flying towards Ultear, who only evaporated it.

Ultear hovered in front of Juvia with a wicked smile on her face. Creating a sword of ice, the woman threw it at the mermaid. If her original plan didn't work, she would settle killing the mermaid this way instead. She would relish in Gray's pain.

"Juvia!" Gray shouted.

Blood splashed across the sand and into the sea as the sword pierced flesh. To everyone's surprise, however, it wasn't Juvia's.

Meredy stood protectively in front of Juvia, her arms outstretched while the sword was stuck in her stomach. Blood trickled from her mouth as she fell to her knees before pulling the sword out. Crimson blood gushed from the wound and stained the sand around her.

"M-Meredy," Ultear breathed out, tears pricking her eyes at the sight of her best friend, the only person she cared for, fall to the ground. The woman ran towards the pinkette and pulled her head onto her lap. "Meredy! Why would you do that!?"

The bleeding girl smiled softly and answered, "For you, Ultear… I don't want your life to be filled with darkness anymore. If you took this girl's life, there would be no coming back from it."

"B-But what about our plan?"

"That was your plan. My only plan was to be by your side happily, and I still am. Ultear, it's time to let go of the past."

Ultear stared into Meredy's eyes as they drooped closed. She held her tight against her and wept for her dear friend. Turning to Gray, she begged, "Please! Help her!"

Gray was shocked to find the ice around him shatter. He rushed towards Meredy and checked her wound. The wound was deep. Covering it with ice, he told Ultear, "We need to take her to the castle now to get her healed. But before we do that, I need to know you aren't going to hurt anyone anymore."

Ultear nodded frantically. "I-I promise. Just help me save her!"

Before the group could get started running back to the castle, the water in the sea rose dangerously before parting, revealing a man with navy blue hair and a triton in hand.

"F-Father?" Juvia questioned with wide eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I came looking for you," the man answered, his voice dark and threatening as he glared at Ultear. "I swam as fast as I could when I saw that human was going to kill you but I wasn't going to make it in time. Luckily not all humans are bad and that one over there saved you. Still, I cannot let that girl get away."

Juvia's father lifted his triton and pointed it towards Ultear, who stood with her head hung, seemingly accepting her fate. Before the King could throw the triton, however, Juvia snatched it out of his hand.

"Juvia! What are you doing?" King Triton demanded.

"Juvia won't let you hurt Gray-sama's sister! Even if she tried to kill Juvia! Juvia can tell Ultear is no threat anymore!" the mermaid answered.

King Triton's brows furrowed. "Is this _Gray_ the man you left home for?"

"Yes. Juvia loves him dearly."

"And what about Atlantis? Your kingdom!"

"Atlantis is not Juvia's kingdom, it is yours. Juvia doesn't belong there, father. You know that. Have one of Juvia's sisters take the throne."

Juvia and her father stared each other down, waiting for the other to give up. Gray ushered for Ultear to take Meredy, along with the others, back to the castle, leaving just him, Juvia, and her father. To Juvia's relief, it was her father that backed down. He sighed and smiled at her.

"You're just like your mother. Stubborn," he stated.

"Juvia is aware," the mermaid replied. She then frowned and added, "But it doesn't matter. Juvia cannot stay on land. She must say her goodbyes anyways."

Gray frowned as he walked towards Juvia. The water was like a barrier separating their worlds. Both were filled with such emptiness at the thought of not being able to be with each other.

"Juvia wishes she could stay with you," the blunette stated, tears pooling her eyes. "Thank you for saving Juvia. And tell Lucy and the others that too."

"I'll make sure to tell them," Gray replied before bringing the girl in for a tight hug. Neither wanted to let go, but knew they had to eventually. Both had kingdoms they needed to return to.

"Juvia loves you," the girl stated. "Juvia is glad she was able to meet you."

"Me too," Gray replied, choking on his words. "I-I love you too."

King Triton watched on the side, noticing his daughter's tears and sadness. Juvia was right, she didn't belong in Atlantis with him, no matter how much it hurt. She belonged on land with this strange boy that captured his daughter's heart. As painful as it was, he was going to provide his daughter with happiness.

Pointing his triton at his daughter, the King let his magic land on his daughter. Juvia stared at him with wide eyes as golden light enveloped her body. When the light died down, she found that her tail had been replaced with legs. Both she and Gray gasped.

"F-Father," Juvia breathed out. "You did this for Juvia? How?"

"I've always had the ability to," her father informed her. "I was just hoping I would never have to. But it's clear that your life is up here. With him."

Juvia hugged her father tightly, tears flowing down her cheeks, though now they were happy tears.

"Thank you, father!" she cried. "Thank you so much!"

King Triton smiled and smoothed down his daughter's hair. "You're welcome. I wish you nothing but happiness, Juvia. Even if that isn't in Atlantis." Glancing at Gray, he continued, "Take good care of my daughter or else you will have the wrath of the sea at your hands."

Gray gulped and nodded. "Understood, sir. Thank you."

With that, the King smiled at his daughter one last time before swimming back down the sea and towards Atlantis.

Juvia turned to face Gray, her face still covered with tears. They smiled at each other, feeling happiness fill their bodies once again. Gray rushed towards the girl and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. When he pulled away, he gazed into her blue eyes before crashing his lips on hers.

Juvia gasped but quickly recovered, leaning into the kiss. Despite standing in freezing water, her body felt like a volcano erupted inside of her. She suppressed a whine when Gray pulled away.

"As much fun as that is," he began, smiling at her, "we need to get back to the castle and check up on Ultear and Meredy."

Juvia nodded. "What are you going to do with Ultear?"

"I don't know yet," Gray answered with a frown. "But at least you'll be with me when I figure it out."

The two smiled at each other one last time before walking back toward the mountain, hand-in-hand.

* * *

 **AN:** And there's Juvia's happy ending! :') We'll have to see next chapter about Gray's! :D BTW! I posted the first chapter to my cruise story. If you're interested you should check it out!

Thank you so much to the lovely reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Shadow Joestar, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765, ThatPixleDino, MissyPlatinum, Guest, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, TheDigitalDork, Still-On-Hiatus, Lunahartz, .** You guys are awesome. :D


	37. Chapter 37

**AN:** So my laptop that has up to 61 chapters worth of this story is not working. :') Luckily, I have a lot of the chapters on this site already so I don't need my laptop yet and I can use my boyfriend's laptop to update. I hope to get my laptop fixed on Wednesday but if it can't be fixed (the screen won't work after I log in) then I can't get access to chapters 50+ I think. So pray with me that I get it fixed. :')

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Chapter 37

Resolution

Natsu stood warily beside Lucy while she held Happy in her arms. They were in one of the hospital rooms in the castle while Meredy was being healed by mages. He made sure to stay on his toes in case Ultear chose to attack, though he doubted she would. The woman seemed completely distraught over Meredy's injury, one that she caused.

Footsteps sounded behind them and they turned to find Gray and Juvia approaching. Their eyes widened noticing that Juvia was walking on two legs, no longer sporting a scaly tail.

"Juvia! Your tail! What happened to it?" Lucy asked.

"Juvia's father turned her into a human!" the blunette answered with a bright smile.

"Your dad could do that?" Happy asked.

"Apparently! Juvia never knew until now!"

The former-mermaid then locked eyes with Ultear, who averted her gaze and hugged herself. Gray noticed and eyed his sister. As much as he wanted to trust that she could change, he didn't think it would be that easy.

Just as he was about to address Ultear, someone else spoke.

"What happened?" a familiar voice questioned as the door burst open. Everyone turned to find Lyon rushing towards them, his eyes wide and panicked while his fiancé was bleeding out on a hospital bed. Honestly, they all forget about him when Meredy was hurt and didn't think of contacting him.

The still-injured boy wobbled over, his brows furrowed. He then turned an angry gaze towards his siblings, demanding for answers.

"It was me," Ultear answered honestly, facing Lyon. "I meant to hurt Juvia but Meredy jumped in front of her."

Lyon growled and grabbed Ultear's collar, lifting her an inch in the air. "How the hell could you do this to her, Ultear!?"

The said woman's eyes pooled with tears as she answered, "It was an accident. I would never hurt Meredy on purpose!"

"But you would hurt your own siblings," Gray chimed in, narrowing his eyes at the two. "Both of you would." Lyon dropped Ultear's collar. "As Prince of this kingdom, I have to do what's best for my people. You two are banished from this kingdom."

Juvia and Happy frowned pitifully while Natsu seemed to agree with Gray's decision. That, or he didn't care either way. Lucy on the other hand stepped in between the siblings and shook her head.

"That isn't the answer, Gray," she stated.

"I have to look out for my people, Lucy. Both of them are threats," Gray countered irately.

Lucy furrowed her brows and replied, "They _were_ threats! It's obvious they learned their lesson!"

"Even if they did, they need to be punished! They were going to revive Deliora!"

"What did I tell you before? I told you that if you have a family, you should hold onto it." Lucy gestured towards Ultear and Lyon and continued, "These two are your family. Is your relationship complicated? Yes. But it _can_ be worked on and fixed."

Gray cursed under his breath, knowing that he shouldn't be arguing with the savior, especially when she was just looking out for him. Thus, he faced his siblings. Lyon faced him, his eyes filled with guilt. Ultear kept her gaze glued to the floor, seemingly in her own world.

Ultear formed tight fists with her hands as she recalled one of the many memories she shared with her family.

 _Everyone was seated at the table in Gray's castle. Since Ur was his magic instructor, they all were allowed to live in the castle and often spent the days together. Gray and Lyon often bickered and Ultear would tell them to stop being annoying while Ur laughed at them. That was their routine. One that made them content._

 _"As Prince, I order you to act like a dog!" the cocky Gray ordered Lyon._

 _Ur promptly bashed the child upside the head saying, "Don't be a brat. To us, you aren't the Prince, you're just Gray."_

 _Ultear expected Gray to be offended but instead he grinned. "Nice. This Prince stuff sucks sometimes. It's cool to have a break."_

 _"It sucks being a Prince?" Ultear questioned. "But you have so much stuff! And power!"_

 _Gray crossed his arms and replied, "Well that's not all I want in life."_

 _Ur smiled and rubbed his back soothingly. "And that's not all you have anymore. You have a family with us now."_

 _"A family?" Lyon questioned. "But Gray and I aren't related to you and Ultear by blood."_

 _"Family isn't about blood," Ur explained with a smile. "We are a family and you three are as close to siblings as you can get. You sure bicker like it at least."_

 _The three grinned at each other, all happy with the arrangement. They never had siblings before, it was exciting to be able to have that bond now. A bond that was unbroken._

Ultear sighed as she faced Gray, determination glinting in her eyes. "I accept my punishment."

"What?" Gray asked, shocked.

"I've done horrible things, things I can't take back. I don't deserve to be here in the kingdom my mother sacrificed her life for when I melted her ice," Ultear explained, tears pricking her eyes. For a woman with such control, she sure was crying a lot that day. "I've been a terrible sister these past years. I don't deserve forgiveness."

Gray sighed as he shook his head. "Ur wouldn't want this."

"He's right," Lyon added. "Remember what Ur told us? She said that we're siblings. I know I haven't exactly earned the title either, but I am ready to repent."

"But I made you melt her ice!" Ultear reminded sadly.

"That doesn't matter anymore," Gray replied. "Ur isn't just ice meant to trap a demon. She's going to watch over us forever because like she said, we're family, whether you like it or not. You may have melted her ice, but I was the one that made her use the spell in the first place. We are all guilty of something."

Ultear was going to argue when one of the nurses informed them that Meredy was going to be fine and that she was waking up. The group rushed in to find the pinkette sitting in bed with a bright smile on her face. Bandages were wrapped around the wound, showing that it wasn't completely healed.

"Ultear! Lyon!" Meredy greeted.

"Meredy!" the two replied, kneeling beside her bed.

"I'm so sorry!" Ultear cried. "I didn't mean to do this to you, I promise!"

"I know," the girl replied. "I don't blame you, Ultear."

"Never mind that, how are you?" Lyon questioned.

"I'm fine! Really! Don't even feel it!" Meredy answered with a bright smile. "The nurses here are really good!"

"Juvia wants to say thank you for saving her," the blunette chimed in shyly. "You don't even know Juvia and yet you risked yourself to save her."

Meredy smiled and waved the girl off. "I did it for lots of reasons, not just you. I did it for Ultear, too. And myself. I wanted to choose a different path for myself."

"Different path?" Lyon questioned, arching a brow. "What do you mean?"

The pinkette faced her fiancé and frowned. There was no avoiding it now. It was time to come clean, no matter the consequences. Even if Lyon decided to never speak to her again, he deserved to know the truth.

"I've been lying to you this whole time," Meredy admitted, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with the boy. "When I first met you and started talking to you, it was because it was part of Ultear's plan. She wanted me to gain your trust so that I could help manipulate you into melting Deliora's ice because you didn't trust Zalty. And for the first part of our relationship, I did nothing but fake my feelings and lie.

"But then I eventually starting falling for you. I started noticing the way that you were so gentle with me. Even though you can be a little hard on others, you never once spoke harshly to me. And you were always so kind and eventually I began to mean it when I told you I loved you. Which was why I couldn't continue with Ultear's plan anymore. I couldn't when it involved you getting hurt."

Everyone in the room watched for Lyon's reaction. Lucy felt like she was watching one of the dramas that she occasionally indulged herself in. Natsu on the other hand felt like this was all useless chatter.

Lyon sighed before smiling at Meredy. "I forgive you. Even if our relationship started on a lie, it doesn't change how I feel about you. Making you happy is my new goal, Meredy, and I plan on sticking to it."

Meredy blinked back happy tears before throwing her arms around her fiancé. Then she winced and sat back in bed. "Alright, so this might hurt a little bit." Then she glanced at Gray worriedly. "What are you going to do with Ultear? Please don't punish her! She's been through enough!"

Ultear shook her head. "It's alright, Meredy. I already decided that I am deserving of punishment for the crimes I committed."

Gray sighed and glanced towards Lucy. "Why don't we let the savior decide things? I'm thinking whatever she chooses will be the right decision."

The blonde flushed when everyone's eyes landed on her but spoke confidently, "I truly believe that Ultear's had a change of heart. But like Gray said earlier, he has to think of the safety of his kingdom. So maybe… Maybe Ultear should be under supervision for a year. Oh! And you guys should have family dinners at least once a week!"

"That's so lame," Natsu teased with a smirk.

"Shut up! It'll help restore their bond, sheesh!"

"Juvia thinks that is a wonderful idea," the blunette chimed in.

"I guess it isn't too bad," Gray added. "What do you two think?"

Lyon shrugged. "As long as Meredy is with me I don't care."

Ultear felt tears of mirth prick her eyes. She did nothing to deserve the kindness she was receiving and yet here she was, accepting it. Nodding her head, she replied, "I wouldn't mind that."

Everyone grinned, feeling like everything good had been restored. Just to make sure, Happy dug in his knapsack and retrieved the book. Everyone watched as he flipped through and landed on the tale of Frozen.

Happy cleared his throat before reading aloud, "Princess Elsa was saved, along with her relationship with her siblings. They started with family dinners every Thursday but eventually began eating dinners almost every day together. The kingdom prospered and Princess Elsa never felt alone anymore and she lived happily ever after."

"It's done then!" Lucy exclaimed. "We did it!"

"I don't want to eat dinner with Gray every day," Lyon complained.

Natsu cackled and replied, "Looks like you do because the book never lies."

Happy laughed before flipping to The Little Mermaid and reading aloud, "Ariel's father granted her legs, allowing her to live with Prince Eric in his castle. She no longer felt like a stranger at home and instead felt like she truly belonged. Together with Prince Eric, Ariel lived happily ever after."

"Juvia is so happy!" the blunette squealed, latching herself onto Gray's arm.

Gray shook her off but smiled. "That settles it then. We've got our happy endings."

"Which means we can finally leave this snowy hell!" Natsu cheered, fire escaping his mouth in excitement.

"We should probably leave tomorrow," Lucy added with a frown. Even though the mountain was nowhere near suitable for her, she had grown to love Gray like an older brother. She even grew to love Juvia, despite their relationship starting out rocky and only knowing her for a very short time. It was sad to have to leave them.

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Juvia asked, feeling the same as Lucy.

"Aye," Happy answered. "The book waits for nothing!"

"We should get some rest," Lucy announced. "We've probably got a lot of walking to do after this."

With that, the group split up. Lyon and Ultear stayed with Meredy, Gray and Juvia headed to the latter's room, and Lucy, Natsu and Happy walked together to their rooms. The blonde stopped outside her room and smiled at her partners before waving and entering her room.

Lucy plopped onto her bed with a content sigh. This story had taken the longest to complete and was by far the hardest, but she did it. And she made new friends in the process. It was strange. In her twenty years on Earth, she hadn't been able to make a single friend. Yet in the month and a half she had been in Earthland, she already had plenty.

Lucy recalled the night before they got to Mt. Hakobe when she had first tried making a portal. She couldn't even remember her apartment, much less of the city itself. There really was nothing for her to return to. Did she even want to return anymore?

When Happy asked if she did before, Lucy said yes simply because she refused to believe otherwise. How could she choose a world that was dangerous and had her working her ass off over a world she grew up in? A world where her parents were? She refused to believe that she could actually want to stay.

But did she?

Here she had friends and a purpose for living. Back home she had nothing but a shitty job. For a second, the blonde truly felt like she could give up her life in Earth and stay in Earthland forever. She could stay with Natsu and Happy. But would they want her to?

She knew they were close, but would that mean they wanted her to stay with them? In the end, it didn't matter.

" _My parents are waiting for me back on Earth anyways,"_ Lucy thought glumly. Before, finding her parents was her biggest dream. Now it felt like it was holding her back. Still, she couldn't give up. No matter how tempting it was. " _I will find them."_

The sound of footsteps in her room caused Lucy to bolt up into a sitting position. In the center of the room was none other than the blonde girl that she saw earlier that day, looking exactly the same as before. No hair was out of place and her dress was just as well-kept as before.

The girl smiled at Lucy and greeted, "Hello again. It appears you've finished this story."

"I did," Lucy replied warily. Even though she had no reason to distrust the girl, she still didn't like not knowing anything about her.

"So my hint helped?"

"Yeah, it did. Thanks for that. Are you finally going to tell me who you are?"

The other girl giggled and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't yet. Eventually I will. I wanted to let you know now that I will not be able to help you anymore. I also came to tell you that the next time I find you, you will have a big decision to make and you need to be ready by then."

Lucy sighed and asked, "Let me guess, you aren't going to tell me what this decision is until then, huh?"

The girl giggled and answered, "Yep! Like I said, it is a big decision, you need plenty of time to think about it."

"How can I think about it if you won't tell me what it is?"

"Believe me, you will whether I tell you or not. And sometimes it's best not to know beforehand. Sometimes our thoughts are best when we don't have to think about it. Well, I should get going now. Goodbye, Lucy! I'll see you again soon!"

"Goodbye, girl whose name I don't know," Lucy replied with a sigh. And with that, the girl faded away, leaving her with a whole bunch of unanswered questions. Getting under the covers, the girl decided she could worry about it later. For now, she was going to sleep.

* * *

 **AN:** Happy endings for everyone. :') With that, the Frozen arc is finished! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **KawaiiSilvy, Shadow Joestar, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Grizzly98, Guest, ThatPixleDino, HollyDragneel, Lunahartz, Still-On-Hiatus, MissyPlatinum.**


	38. Chapter 38

**AN:** Hello everyone! Bad news, I couldn't fix my laptop. Good news, I ended up buying a new one and I have all my files back. :') So the updates shall continue! :D

* * *

Chapter 38

Important Conversations

Natsu woke due to Happy's tail swishing on his face. Yawning, the dragon slayer sat up in bed and chuckled at his friend's happily sleeping face. He figured the cat must've been dreaming about fish. Gently nudging Happy, the pinkette woke him up before getting ready for the new day.

Natsu searched the drawers for anything valuable he could take and perhaps pawn or use for himself. Usually stealing made him feel a bit guilty, but stealing from Gray excited him. But alas, the only thing he found was a marker and a notebook. Holding the marker, he turned and grinned mischievously at his partner in crime.

"Oi, Happy," Natsu began, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The cat snickered and answered, "Aye!"

The two left the room and tiptoed in the hallway towards Lucy's room. As quietly as he could, Natsu turned the knob, suppressing a cackle realizing it was left unlocked. The two then sneakily ventured in the room, their eyes landing on their target, who was still sleeping peacefully in bed. Luckily for them, her face was out in the open, ready to be drawn on.

Uncapping the marker, Natsu stifled a snicker as he carefully dragged the point over Lucy's skin. He applied just enough pressure to draw but not enough to wake her up. Luckily, Lucy was a heavy sleeper, making it that much easier for them.

Natsu nearly laughed aloud after finishing his drawing. He drew a black circle over one of Lucy's eyes, making it look like she had a black eye. Handing the marker over to Happy, he watched as the cat doodled a fish on the girl's forehead.

"Give her nose hairs and a unibrow!" Natsu whispered in excitement.

Happy snickered and did as he was told before noticing the small writing on the marker. "Natsu, this marker is washable. This was for nothing!"

"Not for nothing, buddy. Imagine Lucy's face when she finds out. _If_ she finds out!"

"Aye, that'll be funny!"

Once they were done with their masterpiece, they capped the marker and stashed it away in one of Lucy's drawers. Once the evidence was gone, they woke the blonde up, stifling their laughter. The girl stirred and rolled over, shooing them away. Natsu grinned mischievously at Happy, who understood him perfectly.

The two climbed on the bed and began jumping on it. Lucy squealed and groaned, glaring at her partners. Was it how she wanted to wake up? Not at all. Still, the smiles on their faces seemed to be contagious and she found herself smiling as well.

"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Lucy exclaimed with a giggle. "You can stop now!"

Natsu grinned and replied, "Alright! Hurry up and get ready! I wanna leave Popsicle Princess' castle already! It reeks of strippers."

"Do you have to be so mean to Gray?"

"I ain't mean! But yes, yes I do."

Lucy giggled again. "Alright, get out then so I can get dressed. I wanna leave this snowy mountain too."

Knowing she might not be able to shower for a couple days due to their newest journey, Lucy took her time in the shower, letting the water relieve her body of its aches. She still wasn't completely healed since her battle with Sherry and still had some bruises and scrapes left. When finished, the girl glanced at her options of clothing and chose the outfit she wore when she first arrived in Earthland.

Slipping on the black mini skirt and pink tank top, Lucy smiled. She was glad to have at least some clothes from Earth. Even though her clothes from Earthland were cute, they were very different than what she was used to.

Opting for leaving her hair down that day, Lucy packed her things in her bag- one that Gray supplied her with so that she didn't have to share with Natsu and Happy. Her fingers grazed her baby blanket and she frowned.

" _I wonder what my parents are up to right now,"_ she thought. " _I wonder if they're looking for me right now."_

Shaking her head, Lucy forced herself to focus and she packed her blanket, clothes, and other necessities. Not wanting to be a horrible guest, the girl made her bed and tidied up the room before leaving.

Lucy walked down the halls and smiled at the staff that passed by. She was proud to say that she learned some of their names during her stay. Entering the throne room, the blonde was shocked to find an all-out battle happening.

Natsu cackled as he decked Lyon in the face but yelped when Gray hit him with an ice hammer. Even Yuka, Toby, and Sherry were there. Juvia cheered for the Prince on the sidelines while Meredy cheered for Lyon. Ultear stood, shaking her head at everyone's behavior.

"Natsu, stop it!" Lucy barked.

The dragon slayer obediently stopped, only to begin laughing at her. Everyone faced her and joined in on the laughter.

"W-What?" Lucy questioned, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment. "Why are you all laughing at me?"

"L-Looks like the marker wasn't washable after all!" Natsu cackled, tears escaping his eyes.

"What marker?" Lucy walked towards a mirror and gasped at her appearance. Then she glared dangerously at the dragon slayer and his cat. "Natsu! Happy! I'm going to kill you!"

Ultear chuckled as she waved her hand. The maker on Lucy's face began to fade away until it was completely gone.

"Thank you," Lucy stated, smiling at the woman.

Ultear mirrored the expression and replied, "It's the least I can do for the savior."

"Lucy! Juvia wants to talk to you before you go!" the blunette suddenly exclaimed, dragging the blonde away before she could object. She winked at Gray before leaving.

Gray nodded, glad that Juvia was able to distract Lucy. He then narrowed his eyes at Natsu.

"We need to talk," he stated.

Natsu could tell that it was serious and sobered up immediately before reluctantly following the Prince. He motioned for Happy to stay put. Whatever Gray had to talk about, he could handle by himself. Thus, he followed until they were deep in the castle, approaching a room he hadn't seen before.

Gray opened the grand doors and closed them behind Natsu, who surveyed the room. It appeared to be a study, filled with books and documents. In the center was a desk and a large, velvet chair behind it. His eyes continued to scan the room until they locked on a portrait hung on the wall behind the chair. It was a portrait of two couples.

One man was clearly Gray's father with black hair and stubble. Next to him was a woman with equally dark hair that fell in waves. Standing next to her was King Heartfilia, surprisingly with a smile on his face and his bushy mustache trimmed to perfection. And lastly, there was the deceased Queen, Layla Heartfilia.

The spitting image of Lucy.

Natsu had seen pictures of the King before but he never knew what the Queen looked like. And now, he had absolutely no doubt in his mind that Lucy was their daughter. She was basically a younger version of Layla.

"Lucy is the Princess, isn't she?" Gray finally asked. He didn't need to ask, but he wanted to know if Natsu was aware of not.

Natsu faced Gray with hard eyes. "Yeah. She is."

"And you knew this whole time?" Gray asked, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"I did."

"Then why the hell haven't you told her?" the Prince barked. "Since she's been here, all she's talked about is wanting a family. She could have that if you told her. So why haven't you?"

"Because what she wants are loving parents. The King ain't so loving," Natsu answered.

Gray shook his head. "No. That's not it. You're afraid that if you tell her she's going to leave you, huh? That's why you haven't told her."

"Shut up."

"No. That is _wrong_ , Natsu. She deserves to know who her family is and who _she_ actually is! What were you going to do? Hope that she just gave up? Well she won't."

"So why are you talking to me about this?" Natsu sneered. "Why haven't you just told Lucy?"

"Because she deserves to hear it from her best friend," Gray answered, still glaring at the boy. "So you can either keep lying to her, or you can man up and do what you should've done the moment you saw her."

With that, Gray stalked out of the room, leaving Natsu to succumb to his guilt.

* * *

"Lucy, are you in love with Natsu?"

Lucy choked on her saliva and began flailing her arms around, her cheeks crimson with embarrassment.

"W-What? What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, no longer able to feel the coldness of the mountain because warmth was travelling through her body.

Juvia smiled and stated, "Juvia thinks Lucy is in love with Natsu."

Lucy stared at the girl with wide eyes. She opened her mouth to deny it but no words came out. Instead, her face grew hotter. Was she in love with Natsu?

She recalled their journey together. At first Natsu was grumpy and annoying, but eventually he grew to become her best friend. She felt comfortable around him, comfortable enough to tell him about her situation in Seattle, about how she had been looking for her family and had no friends. And he was comfortable with her too, proven when he told her about Igneel.

And she couldn't forget the times she had woken up in his arms. Embarrassing as the situations were, the girl didn't want to pull away. In fact, it felt _right._ And she had known he was attractive since she laid eyes on him.

And then there was the time Natsu promised to give her a happy ending. The way he was so serious about it melted her heart and she knew she could trust him. He was there to protect her and look out for her. Lucy's eyes widened realizing that she would've been happy so long as Natsu was by her side.

She was in love with Natsu Dragneel.

"Holy shit," the blonde cursed. "I'm in love with Natsu?"

Juvia squealed and nodded. "Juvia knew it! Juvia is an expert at love!"

To the blunette's surprise, Lucy frowned. "It doesn't matter anyways."

"Why not?"

"There's a lot of reasons actually. For one, I'm supposed to go back home when all of this is done. Then there's the fact that Natsu is supposed to be Flynn Rider, the man that falls in love with Rapunzel. And I'm not Rapunzel, I'm the savior. And of course, there's the fact that Natsu doesn't feel the same anyways."

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes by the time she finished. She never knew her feelings until now and so far they only provided pain. To think that the man she would fall in love with would be tremendously unavailable sucked.

Juvia frowned and stated, "Juvia doesn't think Lucy should give up."

"How could I not?" the blonde questioned miserably.

"Because love is something people shouldn't give up on. Look at Juvia. Juvia went to the shore every year even though Gray-sama was never there. But right when Juvia was losing hope, she found Gray-sama. And now Juvia got her happy ending," the other girl explained.

"That's the thing though, Natsu's happy ending is with Rapunzel," Lucy groaned. "Not me. It's in the book. Or at least would be if the story wasn't ripped out. But the book doesn't lie."

"Well forget about the book! Think about what you want instead and go for it!"

Lucy sighed. "Easy for you to say when the book gave you your happy ending. Thank you, Juvia, for helping me realize my feelings. Even though they kinda suck, it's nice to know that I've finally fallen in love."

Juvia frowned. After Gray told her that Lucy was the missing princess and that he needed her to distract the blonde so he could confront Natsu, Juvia had a feeling that Natsu was Lucy's happy ending. And after hearing that Natsu was supposed to be in love with Rapunzel, the girl had no doubt in her mind that Lucy was in fact Rapunzel.

Juvia wanted to tell Lucy. After all, she helped her find love with Gray. But Gray was pretty adamant on not informing the blonde because he wanted Natsu to be the one to do it. So, she kept quiet.

"We should go to the others now," Lucy stated, smiling at the blunette and pushing her feelings aside.

Juvia nodded and wordlessly followed the blonde to the others.

* * *

Natsu kept his gaze glued to the snow once he saw Lucy and Juvia approaching. They were standing outside the castle, ready to leave. Happy glanced at his partner, knowing something was bothering him but didn't say anything.

"Ready to go?" Lucy asked, feigning a smile. "Happy, what's the next story?"

Already having the book in hand, prepared, Happy flipped through and answered, "The Wizard of Oz."

"What's that one about?" Gray questioned.

"Go ahead and read it, Happy. That way we can hopefully get a clue of where we're going," Lucy added.

Happy nodded and read aloud, "Once upon a time in the magical land of Oz, there lived a wicked witch who enjoyed terrorizing the land. The witch was cruel and enjoyed bringing suffering to those around. She was especially terrible to those that worked for her.

"The witch ruled over the land with nobody to defy her and eventually grew bored. With an insatiable craving for more power, the witch sought out a plan to achieve one of the most powerful spells that was lost in the records of mankind. There were three ingredients the witch needed: the blood of the heartless, the blood of the brainless, and the blood of the coward. The witch got what she needed and obtained the ancient spell, wreaking havoc on the land and bringing unimaginable misery. Nobody was able to stop her."

"That's it?" Natsu questioned. "That was so short. Didn't even give any clues."

"That story was different than the one from my world. It didn't even have the main character, it was just in the witch's perspective," Lucy added. "Who was supposed to get the happy ending in that story?"

"Maybe it wasn't about giving a happy ending, but taking away the witch's since she was evil," Juvia suggested.

"I don't know… The pattern of the book so far is so that I _give_ happy endings, not take them away. The book even says that I'm supposed to give them," the blonde replied.

"Well it doesn't matter," Natsu stated. "We can't let the witch get away with this."

"Aye!" Happy added in agreement.

"But where are we supposed to go now?" Lucy asked with a heavy sigh. "The book didn't give any clues at all! Unless there's a place here called Oz."

"There isn't," Gray replied.

"The book did give a clue," Ultear suddenly stated, her gaze glued to the ground as she bit her bottom lip. "It's just that you don't understand because you don't know what to look for."

"What do you mean?" Happy asked.

Ultear sighed and answered, "I spent many years thinking of ways to get revenge on Gray and had countless of possibilities. One day, I came across an old book that had countless of spells in it that were lost with time. That's how I learned Arc of Time. The spell that was in your book was in the book I read too. I was going to learn it and use it on Gray and his kingdom."

"Gee, thanks," Gray muttered. "Are you saying you're the wicked witch or something?"

"No, but I know where to find her," Ultear answered. "After finding the spell in the book, I spent weeks researching it until I found someone that was trying to learn it as well. I sought them out and found her. She rules over a land that is small and she only rules over it ever because she killed the man that King Heartfilia appointed to it."

"And nobody reported her?" Lucy questioned incredulously.

"Fear is strong within people. To be appointed by King Heartfilia himself means that you're strong and worthy. She _killed_ the man that was viewed strong by the King. They're too scared to defy her, and those that do end up being killed before they could report her by one of her servants."

"So what happened with you and this witch?" Lyon asked. "Did you ever get the spell?"

Ultear shook her head and answered, "When I tracked her down and forced her to tell me about the spell, I found out that only certain mages can use it." She looked at Lucy and continued, "Celestial spirit mages. So then I came back and eventually settled on using Deliora."

"A spell only celestial mages can use?" Lucy questioned.

"That means you could use it, Lucy!" Happy exclaimed.

"It's apparently very hard to master," Ultear explained. "But given practice and patience, I'm sure you could do it."

"Well I won't," Lucy stated. "I would have to hurt other people to get it."

"Actually, the spell can only be used by those with pure hearts. Unless they sacrifice the blood, just like the witch is planning. Anyways, you three better hurry. You can find the witch north from here. North from Shirotsume as well. You'll know when you get there because the city is paved with yellow bricks."

"That's weird," Natsu stated. "Alright, Luce. You ready?"

"Yeah. I hope we see each other again before I leave," Lucy said, glancing at Gray and Juvia. The blonde along with Happy hugged everyone while Natsu only watched. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too. Make sure to contact us if you need anything. And good luck," Gray replied, smiling at Lucy. "You're gonna need it travelling with Fire Breath over there."

"Shut it, stripper," Natsu growled.

"Good luck, Lucy!" Juvia exclaimed. "Thank you for all of your help! You too, Natsu and Happy!"

The three waved before continuing towards the steps, ready for their next mission. And with that, their time on Mt. Hakobe was officially done.

* * *

 **AN:** I always get sad after finishing an arc because I love the characters but can't write much for them anymore. :') Gray and Juvia along with the rest of the finished arcs will make more appearances though. :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **Holly Dragneel, Lunahartz, ThatPixleDino, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Still-On-Hiatus.** I probably should've waited last time to post because I guess FF didn't let people know my story was updated so I only had a few reviewers that time but it's okay! I'm just glad I can keep sharing this story! :D


	39. Chapter 39

**AN:** Only a couple of filler chapters before starting the next arc. Sorry! But after this arc there's a bunch of fillers! :D

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Chapter 39

Dinner Date

"Natsu, c'mon! Let's just take a train!" Lucy complained. Her body was still aching and sore after all the mountain climbing and running. She could definitely use a break.

"Nope," the dragon slayer replied. "I'm never getting on one of those things ever again!"

Lucy tugged on his sleeve and puffed her bottom lip out in a frown. "But I'm tired of walking! Trains aren't even that bad!"

And sure enough, Natsu's face tinted green and he fell to the snowy ground with a huff and puffy cheeks. Lucy and Happy sighed, both too exhausted to tease their other partner and instead plopped down next to him. The ground was cold but they didn't pay it any attention. Their bodies needed a break.

"There's no train over here anyways," Happy informed the blonde. "You have to either walk or have a magic mobile to get to these small towns."

"Stop talking about transportation," Natsu gurgled.

Lucy ignored him and complained, "That's ridiculous. Why don't we stop in Shirotsume then for the night since it's on the way? We can see how the townspeople are holding up after everything that happened with Everlue!'

"Aye! And we can rest there for a bit!"

"Alright, let's get moving again. Get up, Natsu! And whether you like it or not, we're definitely taking the train next time!"

Natsu begrudgingly rose to his feet and began to lead the way again. The walk to Shirotsume should only take a day's work, but with how many breaks Lucy usually wanted to take, it could be closer to two. And then there was the walk to wherever the witch was. He didn't know how long that would take.

The three walked in a comfortable silence, only speaking to point out something interesting or to bicker about directions. Lucy's breathing grew heavier until she was panting and demanding for another break only two hours after the last one. After that, they continued once again.

"Hey Natsu," Lucy started hesitantly, "can I ask you something?"

Natsu shrugged and answered, "Sure."

Swallowing thickly, the girl questioned, "Why do you hate humans? When we first met and you were being all grumpy about helping Shirotsume, you told me you hated humans but never told me why."

Natsu visibly tensed and formed tight fists with his hands, which were soon covered with flames. Happy and Lucy shared a quick, worried glance before looking back at their other partner.

Natsu sighed and answered, "I guess I don't hate all humans. I'm just not a fan of them."

"Why?" Lucy questioned.

"The King did more than take away our happy endings, Luce. He was friends with Igneel and yet he had his army go out and hunt the dragons. He wanted them all killed, no exceptions."

"Why would he do that?"

"Not all dragons were nice to humans. Some ate them as snacks. Others just liked killing them. Igneel was one of the ones that was on the humans' side. When Queen Heartfilia died, the King lost all mercy and reasoning I guess."

"So you hate humans because they killed a lot of the dragons?"

"Yeah. They killed most of them."

"Do you think that's why you can't find Igneel?" Lucy questioned with a frown. "Because he's hiding from humans to stay safe?"

Natsu wordlessly nodded his head in reply.

Lucy placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder and promised, "We'll find Igneel. And I'm going to have a talk with the King once we finished the story."

Natsu and Happy shared a look- one that went unnoticed by Lucy.

"You don't have to do that," Natsu assured. "Igneel is strong, the humans won't be able to hurt him!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed. "Let's just hurry to Shirotsume!"

Lucy arched a brow at the two, suspicion sprouting in the pit of her belly. Shrugging it off, the girl followed her travelling partners. Her brown eyes glazed over Natsu's body as he led the way. His shoulders were squared and his pink tufts of hair were as messy as always. She could see his muscles on one of his arms thanks to his strange coat. Instead of being bulky like Elfman or Laxus, he was lean and toned. And she liked that.

Remembering her conversation with Juvia, Lucy sighed as she thought, " _I can't believe I actually fell in love with him. Of all the people in all of the worlds, I just had to fall in love with someone that wasn't from mine."_

Still, Lucy wouldn't trade these feelings for anything. Would they stay unreciprocated? She believed so. But at least she fell for someone that was nowhere near perfect and yet managed to become her favorite person in the world.

He made her laugh until she cried, he made her heart soar, and he made her feel comfortable and safe. Lucy knew that he would never do anything to hurt her. She trusted him. He kept her motivated to keep learning magic and to keep helping others, even though he used to be bitter and selfish before.

And she wanted nothing more than to continue growing together.

* * *

Once the trio reached the outskirts of Shirotsume- which took nearly the entire day- their pace quickened, excited to be able to finally rest. Entering the small village, their jaws practically dropped to the newly paved ground at the sight. Before, Shirotsume was a rundown, famished village and now it was flourishing.

What was once just a dirt path was now paved and the shabby huts and stands were replaced with small cottages. People were actually buying goods from stands, smiles plastered on their faces. Children laughed and ran around playing together and parents watched happily on the side. Shirotsume was in great condition. And it was all thanks to them.

Lucy awed at the sight, happy tears brimming her eyes. _This_ was what she was here for. There were countless of times when she doubted herself, but now the girl knew that she was here for good reason. She was here to help people and that was exactly what she was doing. To think that she used to be nothing but an author living in the slums of Seattle and was now a savior never ceased to surprise her.

Meanwhile, Natsu grinned at all of the happy faces. If he saw such happiness on humans' faces two months ago, he would've frowned bitterly. The ugly truth was that he hated humans. But now, thanks to a certain blonde, he could see that not all humans were corrupt. And to think that he helped create such serenity surprised him. He used to be nothing more than a thief and now he was helping the savior of the kingdom.

Oh how the times have changed.

Glancing towards Lucy, Natsu noticed a familiar warmth bubble in the pit of his stomach seeing her smile. He wasn't blind to his feelings and he wasn't going to lie to himself. He was in love with Lucy. To think that someone could change him like this scared him but also relieved him. It showed him that even though he did bad things in the past, he could always redeem himself. Lucy showed him that.

And that was one of the many reasons he loved her.

"Let's go see Deguchi-san!" Happy exclaimed, flying towards the inn.

As the three walked as fast as their tired legs allowed, they were stopped when a familiar child stood in front of them, blocking their path. With meat on his bones, the same child from the day they met, who was before famished and dirty, was now standing in front of them in clean, fitting clothes and a bright smile on his face.

"It's you three!" he exclaimed. "You're the ones that gave me that apple!"

Lucy gasped in recognition. "It's you! I'm glad to see that you're doing better now! Natsu here was actually the one that gave you the apple."

The kid grinned and landed his gaze on the dragon slayer. "Thank you, sir!"

Natsu gaped at the kid, surprised that someone was actually thanking him for something other than stealing for them. "N-No problem."

Lucy giggled before grabbing the dragon slayer's wrist and dragging him towards the inn, waving to the boy who ran to meet up with his friends. She could tell Natsu was surprised that he was able to help someone so drastically and she understood completely. It was surreal.

Once they entered the inn, the trio was met with Deguchi's smiling face as he ushered them over.

"It's the three that saved the town!" the short man exclaimed. "You're back!"

"Aye!" Happy replied. "Shirotsume is doing okay now!"

Deguchi nodded and explained, "That's because of you three. Ever since you defeated Everlue, King Clive invaded his mansion and took all the wealth from it and distributed it to the town. He even dipped into his own funds to help everyone."

"Is there a new duke?"

"Not yet. King Clive wants to focus on the town's restoration before appointing someone new. He was so ashamed about appointing Everlue so he wants to be extra careful with who he appoints next. Anyways, are you three looking for a room? I'd be glad to give you a room, free of charge!"

"Oh you don't have to do that!" Lucy assured with a polite smile. "That would be asking for too much."

"Nonsense! Believe me, my wife and I are doing much better now thanks to your efforts," Deguchi insisted. "The least I can do is give you a room. I would offer two, but there have been enough tourists lately that we only have one left. And there is only one bed."

Lucy flushed from head to toe within seconds, fighting the urge to glance back at a certain pinkette, who only shrugged and accepted the key, unfazed by it. Delivering their goodbyes to the innkeeper, the trio walked to their room, which was on the second floor.

Entering the room, they found it was smaller than the room they stayed in before. Sure enough, there was only one bed and a desk, next to which was a raggedy chair. Their previous room only had one bed as well, but it had been a while since they shared a room and it was before they developed feelings for each other.

Happy flew towards the bed and plopped down with a heavy sigh. For a cat that didn't do much walking- or flying for that matter, instead carried by Lucy- he sure was exhausted.

"C'mon, Happy. Let's go get some food!" Natsu exclaimed with a grin. "I saw some new restaurants!"

"Too tired," the exceed replied, his voice mumbled as his face was shoved in the pillow. "You and Lucy can go. Just bring me a fish."

Lucy's cheeks warmed at the suggestion. Her and Natsu at a restaurant, eating dinner together? She didn't know how it worked in Earthland, but on Earth, that was considered a date.

Natsu shrugged and glanced at Lucy, grinning. "Wanna go?"

"O-Okay," the blonde replied.

After waving goodbye to Happy, the two wordlessly left the inn and traveled through the town of Magnolia. The streets were lit and people were out and about as well. Just as Natsu said before, there were new restaurants filled with happy customers.

"Where do you want to eat?" Lucy questioned, unable to meet her partner's eyes. She was still hung over the idea that their outing was a date and her cheeks had yet to cool down.

Natsu glanced at Lucy and shrugged. He could tell she was acting weird but couldn't figure out why.

"I don't care," he answered. "I'm just starving."

"Do we even have money for this?" the blonde asked. She then narrowed her eyes at the boy and continued, "We aren't stealing."

Natsu scoffed and crossed his arms. "Duh. I can't steal with you around, you would just ruin it."

"Well then how are you going to pay? I thought we were running low?"

"That was before Erza and Popsicle Princess gave us money."

"They did?"

"Yep!"

"Why didn't I know about this?"

Natsu chuckled and answered, "Both of them figured you would turn down their offers so they just gave it to me."

"Well they were right," Lucy replied with a huff. "They didn't have to do that."

"Well they did and I'm glad because now we can eat some good food!"

With that said, Natsu dashed towards the nearest restaurant, leaving Lucy to rush after him. The restaurant was small and a bit packed but had a friendly feel to it. A hostess greeted them with a kind smile before escorting them to a booth towards the far corner of the building. The two sat down and ordered their drinks, water for Natsu and a strawberry milkshake for Lucy.

"Leave it to you to get the most expensive drink on the menu," Natsu teased once the waitress left.

Lucy released a huff and replied, "What? You said we have enough money and I like milkshakes."

"You're like a kid."

"I don't wanna hear that from you!"

The two shared a quick laugh before the waitress came back with their drinks. Lucy's milkshake was a light shade of pink, topped with a hefty amount of whipped cream and a cherry. The blonde grinned eagerly at the drink and was about to relish in its flavor when she found Natsu's eyes gazing longingly at it.

"Don't even think about it," Lucy chastised, scooting her drink closer to herself and away from Natsu's prying self.

"C'mon, Luce!" the boy whined. "Just let me have a sip!"

"No way! A sip to you is probably half the drink! Besides, you were just making fun of me for ordering it! If you wanted a milkshake, you should've gotten one!"

The boy pouted and crossed his arms, a small wisp of fire escaping his mouth. Then he turned and grinned mischievously at the blonde. "Why don't we arm wrestle for it?"

"Nope," Lucy replied. "I know you would beat me right away."

"You gotta have more confidence in yourself, Lucy!"

"You're just saying that so you can try and take my milkshake. Nice try, Natsu, but it's not happening."

The said boy gave a low growl as he watched the blonde bring her lips close to the straw. Almost mockingly, she moaned in delight with the sweet taste.

"Wow, this is really good!" she exclaimed.

Natsu laid his head on the table and whined again, "Please, Lucy? Just a little?"

Lucy smirked and shook her head. "Nope! But I'll let you watch me drink it!"

As the girl leaned forward to take another sip of her milkshake, Natsu snapped forward and scooped some of its whipped cream onto his finger, cackling at her protests. He was about to plop the whipped cream into his mouth when another idea came to mind. With a wide, mischievous grin, the boy leaned forward and smeared the cream onto Lucy's face, who squealed and slapped his hand away after the damage was done.

"Natsu!" Lucy screeched, glowering at her partner. "You just got whipped cream on me!"

"Yep!" the boy replied, his laughter filling the small restaurant. Tears even welled up in his eyes with how much he was laughing. He would never stop annoying the girl, it was just too fun. However, his laughter was cut short when something plopped onto his head.

Lucy giggled as she watched Natsu bring his hand towards his head and feeling for the whipped cream she dumped on it. Then a bright idea popped in her head.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. Grabbing her cherry, she leaned over and placed it neatly on top before sitting back down and laughing. "There! That's better! Now you're the milkshake with your pink hair, whipped cream, and even a cherry to top it off!"

Natsu stared at Lucy in shock. He definitely wasn't expecting her to retaliate in such a way. He expected a scolding or some light slaps, not this. A face-splitting grin appeared on his face, watching the blonde continue to laugh, the corners of her eyes wrinkling and her dazzling smile lighting up the room. He had absolutely no doubt in his mind that he was in love with this girl.

Still, he couldn't just let her get away with the attack.

Natsu grinned as he snatched Lucy's milkshake, catching her off guard and scooping more of the white fluffiness to smear it on the other side of the girl's face. The blonde squealed but laughed again soon after, reaching forward to take the drink back but Natsu held it away and cackled. So, she opted for reusing the cream that was already on her before flinging it towards her partner.

The two went on like that for a few minutes, their laughter filling the air of annoyed customers, until their waitress returned, gawking at them.

"U-Umm, I'm going to have to ask you two to leave," the older woman stated. "You are causing a disturbance and making a mess."

Lucy flushed from head to toe in embarrassment, letting her hair curtain her face while Natsu begged for the waitress to give them another chance, who refused. Thus, the two headed outside, letting the chilly air wash over them. And they were still hungry.

"Way to go, Natsu!" Lucy chided, narrowing her eyes at the said boy. "You got us kicked out!"

"No I didn't!" he protested. "You're the one that wasn't sharing!"

"Because it was my drink!" the blonde countered. A small smile graced her lips as she continued, "But it was still fun."

Natsu grinned and replied, "Yeah. And guess what! They were so busy kicking us out, they forgot to make us pay for your milkshake!"

Lucy stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide. "Are you telling me I just stole?"

"Yep!" the pinkette answered with a smirk, slinging his arm over Lucy's shoulders. "Way to go, Luce! You just stole for the first time! And it was a dine and dash!"

"We have to go back and pay them!"

"What? No way! We're already far enough, let's just go get something else to eat."

"Natsu, we just stole from them! And you've been doing so well not stealing lately!"

"Just think of the milkshake as payment for all of our hard work. If it wasn't for us, that restaurant wouldn't be there in the first place."

Lucy sighed but reluctantly nodded, walking beside Natsu as he led the way towards a food stand. It didn't offer as much delicious food as the restaurant, but it would have to do. Natsu ordered three hot dogs for himself while Lucy ordered one. Finding a bench, the two sat down and munched on their food while gazing at the bright stars above.

Lucy's lips curled into a small smile as she looked at the many stars. Ever since she was a child, they fascinated her in a way that even reading couldn't sometimes. They were a reminder that there was so much out there in the world, not just the city of Seattle. They kept her sane in her times of loneliness and she often thought of her parents, knowing that they could be looking at the same stars from wherever they were at.

Natsu paused from scarfing down the hot dogs to gaze at the girl beside him. Her golden hair shone under the starlight and her chocolate brown eyes gleamed with joy. Her pink, plump lips were curled into a smile. She looked so happy and peaceful, it was contagious as he found himself smiling as well. He wondered how someone like her could stand being around someone like him.

"You really like the stars, don't you?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy glanced at the boy and smiled. "Yeah. They're beautiful."

The pinkette swallowed thickly, thinking that there was something else way more beautiful than the stars sitting in front of him. "Your magic really suits you then."

"It does," the blonde replied. "At first I was ashamed to be a celestial spirit mage because I felt like I was using the spirits, but now I'm glad. The magic fits me well."

"Because you like the stars?"

"Yeah, but not just that. All of my life before I came to Earthland, I just wanted friends. I locked myself up in my apartment and worked too much that I never got the chance to make any. And now I have magic that allows me to make contracts with wonderful spirits and become their friend. It makes me really happy to have them by my side. And Happy. And you too, of course."

The two stared deeply into each other's eyes, looking for any hint of reciprocated feelings. Their cheeks were rosy, shown by the various lampposts around. Lucy's eyes darted towards Natsu's lips and quickly returned to his onyx orbs, which were absolutely mesmerizing.

"You know," she started, her voice hushed, "you make me really happy. I mean, both you and Happy, and everyone else. You all make me really happy."

"Yeah?" Natsu replied, his voice just as quiet, as if scared to ruin the moment.

Lucy nodded. "I've never been so happy before in my life. Not until I met you."

"Hey, Lucy… I don't mean this in a bad way but it sounds like your life in Earth wasn't that fun. It doesn't really sound like you have anything to return to."

"I guess I don't. Well, besides my parents. I've been searching for them my entire life and yet I just can't find them. And because of it, I missed out on so many opportunities. I'm kinda tired of missing out…"

"What are you saying?" Natsu asked, staring intently at the girl beside him.

Lucy met his gaze with even rosier cheeks and sparkling eyes. "I'm saying maybe I spent too much time searching and not enough time truly living. And I feel more alive here than anywhere else. I feel alive when I'm with you. W-Would it be okay for me to stay here?"

Natsu's heart leapt within his chest as a warmth spread within his body. There were so many things to be happy about in Lucy's statement. First there was the whole being alive with him and then she said she wanted to stay, which he wanted for a while now. He wanted her to stay with him more than anything, and now that he knew she wanted the same, there was nothing holding him back.

Leaning forward, Natsu placed his forehead against Lucy's and smiled. "It would be more than okay if you stayed, weirdo."

Lucy reddened under the close proximity but didn't pull away, her breath quickening. "R-Really?"

"Duh. Happy would be a mess if you left," Natsu replied.

"And what about you? Would you be a mess too?"

"I'd be more than a mess. I'd be empty."

The two gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments longer, both feeling the magnetic pull against them but resisting, not knowing that the other felt the same. But now they knew they had plenty of time to figure it out, because Lucy was staying in Earthland.

* * *

 **AN:** Cute and very important chapter! Lucy decided she wants to stay! :') And the nalu is getting close!

 **CupcakeGoddess:** Thank you for the review I'm glad you like the story! I can't say who will have stories and whatnot because I want everything to be a surprise lol. As for my updating schedule, I update Mondays and Thursdays! :)

Thank you so much to those that reviewed: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, TheDigitalDork, HollyDragneel, ThatPixleDino, ZodiacBirdy, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Hsdust, Elena Parker, Shadow Joestar, Guest, Mezatron, CupcakeGoddess22, Nalulove.**


	40. Chapter 40

**AN:** I believe this is the last chapter before the next arc! Hope you all enjoy! :D

* * *

Chapter 40

Embarrassing Stories

The next morning, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy groggily opened their eyes as the sun peeked through their curtains and onto their faces. Finding it was close to noon, the trio quickly got ready for the day- or at least Natsu and Happy did, Lucy took her time in the shower as always. When they were all packed and ready to go, they went downstairs towards the lobby, greeting Deguchi.

"You three are leaving already?" the innkeeper questioned with a slight frown. "I still don't feel as though our debt has been repaid."

"Don't worry about it," Lucy replied with a kind smile. "You let us sleep here free of charge, that's more than enough payment."

"Aye!" Happy chimed in. "And you gave me a fish!"

Deguchi chuckled and replied, "Alright, I suppose I'll accept your kindness. Where are you kids heading now?"

"That's the thing, we were going to ask for your help," Lucy answered. "We've heard that there is a place around Shirotsume that has golden paved roads and a tyrant leader. Does it ring a bell?"

The innkeepers face paled as he nodded. "I've heard of it by travelers that stopped by for the night. They told me they escaped from there. I figured they were just pulling my leg."

"Do you know where it is?" Natsu asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes, but I advise you don't go there. Everlue may have been terrible, but whoever is in control of that place is far worse. I've heard that they killed the King there and a lot of the townspeople."

"That's exactly why we need to go," Lucy informed the short man. "To help them, just like we helped Shirotsume. So do you know where exactly we should go? We would greatly appreciate it."

Deguchi swallowed thickly, not wanting to help get such young people into danger. Still, he knew that there was no stopping them and that the town deserved help, just like Shirotsume did. Thus, he reluctantly spoke.

"The place you are looking for is Oak Town," he stated. "It is a very small town, even smaller than Shirotsume. The travelers that escaped told me a bit about it."

"Do you know which way to head?" Natsu questioned.

Deguchi nodded and fetched a map. With a black marker, he circled an area of what looked to be just woods.

"In this area is where you will find Oak Town," the man stated. "Because of how small it is, it isn't on most maps. You'll know when you get there because you'll see-"

"A yellow brick road," Lucy interrupted. "Thank you, Deguchi-san, for all of your help. We really should get going now, though. Would you tell your wife goodbye for us?"

"Of course. Be careful, you three."

"We will. Bye!"

And with that, the three were once again leaving Shirotsume for another adventure. Being able to visit Shirotsume again was a valuable experience, allowing them to see the change they were bringing to Earthland. And if they were to be able to visit again, hopefully they would see even more progress.

Nearing the outskirts of the town, Lucy breathed a heavy sigh, not ready to start yet another long walk. She mentally cursed whoever thought small towns didn't need trains. Still, her legs were looking much better in the mirror lately and she couldn't deny she was proud of the progress she was making in her exercise. Maybe now she would be able to run a full ten minutes without stopping.

Lucy stayed close beside Natsu as they walked, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, and each time they did, a wave of warmth spread through her entire body. Ever since their "date" the prior night, the blonde couldn't help the profound joy she felt around the pinkette. It wasn't that she believed he reciprocated her feelings but just he wanting her to stay in Earthland was enough to make her happy. And now she knew what she wanted to do.

Finding her parents was still something Lucy wanted to do from the bottom of her heart, but she decided it was time to focus on herself. Perhaps it was her parents' turn to start looking for her instead. She refused to give up more of her life for an uncertain task. If she ever came across them, that would be great. But if not… Well, she would force herself to move on. And now she believed she actually could now that she had friends.

Not only were there Natsu and Happy, but Lucy had friends from all over Earthland. There were Erza and Jellal from Magnolia, the Strauss siblings in the East Forest, Gray and Juvia in Mt. Hakobe, and so many more. Her heart finally had something to care for besides work. There was no way she was going to leave them all. Especially a certain pinkette her heart had latched onto.

* * *

After hours of traveling, the trio finally decided to take their first break of the day. Lucy was glad she still had the jacket Gray gave her because the warm days of summer were quickly disappearing. Now that she thought about it, the girl didn't even know what the date was. Oh well, it didn't matter.

"Lucy, tell us a story from your world!" Happy ordered while munching on a raw fish.

The blonde arched a brow and asked, "Why?"

"I wanna know more about it!" the cat answered.

"I guess that makes sense. Do you just want a fact about the place or one of my experiences?"

"One of your own stories," Natsu answered with a grin. "I wanna know how your life was in Earth."

"Okay," Lucy replied with a smile. "You guys already know I didn't have any friends or family, so truthfully my life wasn't that interesting. I worked in a crummy diner, I guess I can tell you about that. Oh! I know a story, but you have to promise not to laugh!"

Natsu and Happy shared a glance before grinning at the blonde.

"We promise!" they exclaimed.

Lucy nodded in approval, not noticing each of them had a hand behind their backs in which they had their fingers crossed.

"Alright," she started, "I wasn't the best of waitresses at the diner. Actually, I was probably the worst. But I got a lot of good tips using my womanly charms!"

"Really?" Happy questioned. "That's surprising."

"Shut up, stupid cat! Anyways, I was having a really off day and I kept messing up everything. Back on Earth, everyone is grossly underpaid, especially waitresses. So tips were necessary to meet the standard of living. As I was taking this guy's order, I was trying to act all cute and girly and at first it was working. Well, when I turned around to go tell the chef his order, I didn't know that another waitress was walking behind me and I bumped into her.

"So then all the food she was holding spilled all over me and the floor and even some customers. Here's another thing to know about Seattle: it's disgusting. I doubt most restaurants pass health inspections, and ours certainly didn't. Little did I know, there was a freaking rat infestation. And when all the food was dropped on the floor, all of the little bastards came out of nowhere and came running towards me."

Happy, stifling a laugh beneath his paw, choked out, "What happened next?"

Lucy sighed and answered, "I screamed my head off and went running, bumping into _another_ waitress. And you know when you are thinking about gross things you get all paranoid? Well, that happened to me. I was so paranoid I thought I felt something in my shirt. So what did I do? I took the damn thing off."

"You stripped at work?" Natsu asked, about to lose control over his laughter. "You're just like Popsicle Princess!"

"Shut up!" Lucy whined. "It was because I thought a rat got in my shirt!"

"Did one?" Happy questioned.

The blonde hung her head in shame. "No. So I ended up showing a lot more of my womanly charms than I intended. My boss yelled at me at first but since that day we got a lot more customers. _Male_ customers, all asking where the girl with the pink lacey bra was."

And with that, the two lost it. Their laughter could've been heard from the opposite side of the kingdom. Tears flowed freely from their eyes as they rolled around. A vein ticked in Lucy's forehead as she stomped towards the two, bashing them both upside the head with as much force as she could muster.

"You two promised you wouldn't laugh!" she screeched.

"Sorry, but it was too funny!" Natsu replied between laughs. "Seriously, how could someone mess up that badly?"

"Only Lucy could fail at something so easy!" Happy added.

"I'm going to skin you alive, stupid cat!" Lucy shouted. "That's it, it's your turn! I want an embarrassing story from both of you!"

"Don't have any," Natsu replied with a smirk.

"Yes you do!" Happy argued. He then faced Lucy and explained, "It was the day we were caught stealing!"

"Happy, shut up!"

"Nope! Anyways, how we got caught isn't important, it's what happened after that is! A bunch of Rune Knights were chasing after us and throwing their magic at us. One of them used some sort of acid magic or something and it hit Natsu's pants and he had to take them off!"

Lucy gasped and chuckled. "That was like my story!"

"It gets better," Happy replied with a snicker. "The acid went through his pants and hit his underwear too, so if he didn't take them off he would've gotten really hurt."

"Oh my god! He had to take his underwear off, didn't he!?"

"Aye! He was running around almost naked! And he was only wearing a shirt at the time so it didn't cover him!"

Natsu growled as the two burst into a fit of laughter. It wasn't his fault that he had to strip. If he didn't, his skin would've melted off. Playfully covering the two in harmless fire, the dragon slayer snickered.

"Don't act like you don't have any embarrassing stories!" Natsu stated, staring at Happy.

"I don't!" the cat argued with a smug grin.

"Oh yeah? What about the time you… Umm… The time you… Wow, I can't think of anything."

"Told you!"

"There has to be something," Lucy chimed in. "Give us something, Happy!"

"Can't!" the cat replied with a heavy smirk. "I really don't have any embarrassing stories!"

"Well, since I plan on staying in Earthland, I'm gonna make sure to be there when you finally have an embarrassing moment!" the blonde announced.

Happy stared at Lucy with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. "You're staying in Earthland? Like forever?"

Lucy grinned and nodded. "Guess I forgot to tell you! I decided last night I wanted to stay with you two!"

In the blink of an eye, Happy flew into Lucy's chest, happy tears streaming down his face. Lucy chuckled and smoothed down his blue fur while Natsu watched with a grin.

"I'm glad you're staying!" Happy sobbed into the girl's shirt. "Even if you're really dumb!"

"Excuse me?" Lucy questioned, pinching the cat's cheeks. "What was that you said?"

"Umm, I said that you're really smart!"

"That's better. Anyways, the evil Witch of the West isn't going to defeat herself! Let's get going!"

With that said, the three were traveling once again. Natsu and Happy made sure to tease Lucy about her embarrassing story, to which the girl would pout. Still, she was happy. Happier than she had ever been on Earth and she planned to keep it that way.

* * *

 **AN:** Just another filler. :) Hope you guys liked it! The arc starts next chapter! :D

 **ThatPixleDino:** I can definitely see why you would think of Aladdin lol. The similarities are crazy lol. But I like Rapunzel just because Lucy is blonde lmao. :D BUT since you bring up Gray being an intertwined character I will say that Lucy is too. ;D Along with being Rapunzel and the savior, Lucy is another character as well and you'll find out who eventually! :D

Thanks to the reviewers: **CupcakeGoddess22, HollyDragneel, Lunahartz, ThatPixleDino, TheDigitalDork, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Alexa60765, Guest, MasterGildarts, Abby-Flourite.**


	41. Chapter 41

**AN:** Alright, time to start the Wizard of Oz! :D This one isn't nearly as long as the Frozen arc. Hope you enjoy! :D

Also, this story was added to it's first community! How cool is that? :D

* * *

Chapter 41

The Yellow Brick Road

The next morning, the trio woke up, each of their bodies aching from sleeping on the ground. At least they had a campfire- along with Natsu's absurd body heat- to keep them warm throughout the night. Lucy packed away her baby blanket and followed her two partners, resuming their journey to Oak Town, which in her world was dubbed as Oz.

As they walked, a sudden thought popped into Lucy's head.

"Hey, guys," she started, "do you think there are even more worlds out there? Besides Earth and Earthland?"

"Aye!" Happy answered. "Since you came from another world, it would make sense if there's even more."

"I think everyone in Earthland believes in the possibility even if they can't picture it," Natsu added. "Since there's already the Celestial Spirit World, I think everyone just assumes there would be even more."

"Do you think other worlds know about you like my world does?" Lucy asked. "Do you think you're a fairy tale in other worlds too?"

Natsu shrugged, not particularly interested either way. "Who knows? Hell, you might be a fairy tale character in their world, Luce."

"Me? Well I would be from a very boring story then since I did nothing the first twenty years of my life. Hey, Natsu, I have another question. You've been searching for Igneel for a long time now, right? Why does it seem like you don't know any of these places we've been to?"

"Igneel and I lived on the opposite side of Fiore and I've been searching around there. I've looked everywhere for any clues until I ended up outside of Shirotsume when we met you. So this part of Fiore is just as new to me as it is to you."

"Oh. That makes sense. Hopefully we find Igneel soon!"

"Aye!" Happy chimed in.

With that said, the three walked in a comfortable silence for another hour. Lucy groaned, her feet aching and her legs threatening to give out on her. Even though Oak Town wasn't supposed to be too far from Shirotsume, it was taking them a while to get there. Trees began to mesh into blobs of green and she quickly began to hate the color.

"Are you sure you're reading the map right?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"I know how to read a map, Lucy," Natsu replied, annoyed.

"You sure about that? Because I swear I've seen that tree before."

"How would you know? They all look the same!"

"Let me see the map real quick."

"No! I know where I'm going!"

"Just give it to me! I just wanna see it!"

"No!"

"Stop being so stubborn, Natsu!"

"You stop being stubborn!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"Both of you two be quiet!" Happy scolded.

Natsu and Lucy knew they were being ridiculous if someone like Happy was scolding them. So, they kept on walking in silence until finally, their eyes landed on a path of golden bricks. Natsu rubbed his eyes to make sure that they weren't playing tricks on him and grinned when he saw they weren't. The three rushed towards the path and followed it until eventually they were leaving the thicket of trees and entering town.

Oak Town was smaller than Shirotsume but in much better condition than when the trio first arrived. The entire town had golden bricks paved underneath and the houses were small but decently kept. What was strange was that there was absolutely nobody outside. The streets were barren and the town was strangely quiet.

Natsu stood close by Lucy to make sure nothing happened to her. If there was a wicked witch somewhere, there was a possibility of a sneak attack and he had to be on his toes for that. The three walked silently into town, taking in their surroundings. When they reached what they assumed to be center of the town, there was a decently sized castle built of gold.

"Should we go in there?" Lucy questioned, making sure to keep her voice quiet. "Maybe there's someone there that can help us."

Natsu shook his head and answered, "We shouldn't. Remember what the book said? The witch killed the King, meaning she's probably sitting in that castle right now."

"What should we do then?" Lucy asked.

Natsu ignored her and listened for any invading footsteps, growling when he heard some. A new scent filled his nostrils, smelling like men's cologne, causing him to turn around and bare his sharp teeth for the threat. It was a slim man who stopped in his tracks just behind them, his hair a light brown. He had dark eyes and noticeable eyelashes, longer than most males'. To top off the boy's regal appearance, he wore a dark suit.

"Who the hell are you?" Natsu hissed, standing protectively in front of Lucy, who peered worriedly over his shoulder.

The boy put his hands up in surrender and took careful steps towards them.

"My name is Hibiki," he stated in a whisper. "And you three need to come with me right now if you want to live."

"And why the hell would we need to do that?" the irate dragon slayer questioned, narrowing his eyes into dangerous slits.

"There is someone that controls this land and is ruthless. She doesn't like when outsiders come into town. Please, hurry."

"I can handle her."

"It's not her you need to worry about."

Lucy placed a hand on the dragon slayer's shoulder and stated, "Maybe we should go with him."

"You trust this guy?" Natsu asked.

"I have no reason not to," the blonde answered. "Besides, he can tell us everything we need to know. So let's go with him."

Natsu groaned but reluctantly nodded, making sure to separate Lucy from Hibiki. Even if he claimed he was trying to help them, it didn't mean he was telling the truth or that he should be trusted. The group walked briskly on the yellow bricks until they were approaching an average sized house. Entering, they found three more men waiting inside and Hibiki quickly shut the door behind them and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"You made it back!" one of the males, a younger boy, exclaimed. He had neat, almost blonde hair with a few strands out of place.

"And you brought visitors," another added. He had darker skin and even darker hair, some of it tied in a short ponytail.

Hibiki nodded and explained, "They were outside of the castle and I saw them. I couldn't just leave them there."

"Good job," another man replied. He had very sharp edges and long, orange hair. His nose was big and he was very small. While the other three were handsome, this man certainly wasn't. But he did dress nicely, adorning a white suit. "Hello, my name is Ichiya. And these boys here are Eve and Ren."

"My name is Lucy Ashley," the blonde stated with a shy smile. Gesturing to her partners, she continued, "These are my friends, Flynn Rider and Happy. Are you four aware of the King's curse?"

"Of course," Hibiki replied with a nod. "But that curse isn't our priority."

"Well at the moment it kinda is," Lucy corrected. "See, the mage you were talking about, did she kill the King that ruled over this town?" All four men immediately gave pained looks, causing guilt to sprout inside of the girl. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up so carelessly."

"It's okay. We were close to the King and he was a great ruler until she killed him. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm the savior that is supposed to break the curse."

On cue, Happy fished in his knapsack for the book, flipping to the correct story and handing it to Hibiki while the other men circled around to look as well. Immediately, their eyes widened and they understood.

"This wicked witch is her," Hibiki announced. "She's in this book."

"Aye," Happy replied. "In order to break the curse, Lucy needs to bring back every happy ending in the book."

"That's why you're here. I'm sorry, Lucy, but I don't think you'll be able to win against her," Hibiki stated with a frown. "Even if you are the savior…"

Lucy frowned as well and replied, "I know I may not look strong and I'm definitely not the strongest in Earthland, but I'm not too weak either. We brought down Ivan and I think we can handle this witch too."

Eve shook his head. "It's not her you need to worry about. It's her servants. Well, mainly _servant."_

Hibiki nodded and added, "The mage's name is Karen. We were once close with her. And I also loved her at some point… Umm, as I was saying, we were all working under the King. Karen wasn't always evil, but one day she began to crave power. She was insatiable and grew cruel. King Bob noticed this and tried to get her to stop, but it was too late. Karen acted like she was normal again only to kill King Bob during the night and steal the throne."

"That's terrible," Happy breathed out.

Eve nodded, his face scrunched in pain. "We all tried to stop her, but she's too strong…"

Natsu scoffed and replied, "Doubt it. It's probably because you were so close to her you're holding back, hoping that she would go back to normal."

Hibiki formed tight fists with his hands and replied, "I suppose you may be right. That was truly the case at first. But now we aren't able to beat her."

"Why not?" Lucy questioned.

"Like I said before, Karen isn't too strong herself. It's her servant. He is the one that kills every outsider and does her dirty work."

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"He doesn't have a choice," Hibiki answered. "He's a cele-"

There was an eerie, bright flash of light, creeping into the house from outside, followed by an explosion. Natsu lunged towards Lucy and Happy, protecting them as parts of the house fell around them. He incinerated large planks of wood that threatened to fall on top of them. Luckily, the others were safe as well, though they were sporting bruises and gashes.

Natsu growled as a new scent invaded his nostrils. It was so sudden, he didn't even smell him coming. It was like he just magically appeared. They also smelled strange.

Lucy gently shoved Natsu off of her to find out what happened, glancing around first to make sure everyone was okay. Then her eyes landed on the attacker.

It was a man with spiky orange locks of hair, some of it sticking up, resembling cat ears. Dark shades covered his eyes and his body was adorned in a suit- did everyone wear suits around here? His lips were tugged into a frown.

Lucy remembered then what Hibiki was trying to say. This man didn't want to do Karen's dirty work but had no choice. She had to help him. Rising to her feet, she called out, "Who are you?"

The boy frowned at her and answered, "That's not important. But if you must know… You can call me Loke. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me, Miss. If you do, I will spare everyone here. If not…" His right hand then glowed dangerously, brighter than any light she had seen before. It actually reminded her of her own magic.

Lucy's eyes widened. "Wait, me? What do you need me for?"

"The Queen needs you. Please, don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"Like hell Lucy is going with you!" Natsu shouted, lunging forward to attack, only to be dodged effortlessly. Loke punched him in the gut, sending him flying back and gasping for air.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted, forgetting about his alias. She then stared at Loke. "Please, Loke! You don't have to do this! I can help you! You don't have to do what she says!"

Loke frowned and shook his head. "I'm afraid I do." He then walked towards her with ease, avoiding all of the men's attacks until he was face-to-face with the blonde. "I'm sorry. I have no choice."

Lucy's brain nagged at her and she was reminded of something. Those words were just too familiar. Then she remembered Virgo. When she was working for Everlue, she said the same thing. Reminded of the bright light along with Hibiki's words, the girl's eyes widened.

"You're a celestial spirit," Lucy stated. And that was when her brain started to put the pieces together. "We're supposed to be in Oz. There are three ingredients Karen needs: the blood of the brainless, the heartless, and the coward. Blood from the cowardly lion. In other words, Leo the Lion."

The spirit gave a weak smile and nodded. "You sure are a smart girl. I'm glad Virgo and the others found a kind master."

"I will save you from Karen. I promise."

"I'm afraid you can't. See, she isn't forcing me to do any of this. I am truly just a coward."

"That's not true! So for now… Natsu, go!"

The dragon slayer lunged forward and delivered a flaming punch straight into Loke's jaw and then pelted him with more attacks until he was finally fading away.

Lucy frowned and told the spirit before he could disappear, "I will save you, Loke. But for now I can't have you taking me."

And before Loke disappeared, he smiled at her. "Celestial spirit mages are supposed to keep their promises. I hope you can keep this one."

And then he was gone.

* * *

 **AN:** I love Loke a lot so I just had to give him an arc haha! And I thought it fit well lol. But what does Karen need Lucy for? :D Congrats to Mezatron for figuring out Loke was the cowardly lion so fast haha! You figured it out right when the story was introduced!

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Lizz Cold 790, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Mezatron, Ikikihifubj, ThatPixleDino, CupcakeGoddess22, ThayetJade, MissyPlatinum, Alexa60765, Nalulove.**


	42. Chapter 42

**AN:** I actually really like this arc haha! :D YAY THIS STORY IS AT 500 REVIEWS. As thanks, there will be a sneak peek at the end! :D

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Chapter 42

The Cowardly Lion

Loke released a heavy sigh before he passed through his gate after being summoned. After materializing, he found Karen staring at him with a look of hatred. That wasn't anything new. Nor was the nasty kick to his stomach. Rising to his feet, the spirit allowed himself to become a punching bag.

"You idiot!" Karen shouted, delivering a harsh punch to the boy's cheek. "You couldn't do such a simple task? All I asked was that you bring the girl!"

"My apologies," Loke replied with a frown, his face throbbing. "She was with your old friends. She also had a dragon slayer with her. He caught me off guard."

"You should have been able to defeat a dragon slayer!" the girl argued. "Let me guess, you're deciding to go soft now, aren't you? Well you can't. You already did too much damage to this town, they would never forgive you! And don't forget what happens to _her_ if you even think of trying to betray me!"

"I would never think of betraying you."

"Good. Then go back there and get that slimy girl."

"I need a break, Karen. I was just sent back."

Karen narrowed her eyes dangerously at the spirit before kicking him in the side, sending him crashing to the floor and gasping for air.

"When I say go, you go," the green-haired woman hissed. "And I am not Karen to you. I am your master. Now get out of my face, Leo, or else you know what'll happen."

Loke nodded and slowly rose to his feet before disappearing, leaving his owner who wore an absolutely wicked grin.

* * *

Lucy and the rest of the group frowned seeing the state of the house they were in. It would take days, maybe weeks to repair and they certainly didn't think they should anyways. After all, Karen wanted Lucy. Loke would definitely be coming back soon.

"Why does Karen want you?" Hibiki asked.

"I have no idea," Lucy answered with a sigh. "I don't even know how she knew I existed."

"I can help you with that, Princess," a sudden voice called out, a flash of light appearing in the destroyed house. When the light disappeared, Virgo was left standing with a straight face.

"Virgo? What are you doing here?" Lucy questioned. "I didn't summon you."

"Is this a problem, Princess?"

"No I was just curious!"

"I see. I am strong enough to go through the gate on my own. Our strong bond allows me to. I see you met big brother."

"Big brother? Oh, you mean Loke?"

The spirit nodded her head. "He is Leo, the leader of the Zodiac. He is the strongest of us all. He is the one that told his master, Karen, about you."

"How?" Lucy asked. "How does he know about me?"

"The spirits have the ability to watch over this world and their masters. When you were on Earth, Aquarius and the others were able to watch over you from that world. But now that you're here, any spirit can watch over you from Earthland because it connects to the Celestial Spirit World. Your arrival in this world was known by all of the spirits."

"Why?"

"You are a mage with the potential to become the strongest celestial spirit mage in history."

"That's great and all, but now Loke and Karen know about me. Do you know why they want me in the first place?"

Lucy watched as Virgo's eyes darted towards Natsu and Happy before landing back on hers. Natsu and Happy noticed and seemed confused by this as well.

"I'm afraid I cannot say," the maid stated with a small frown. "I am sure you will find out soon, however. Big brother is on his way."

"Loke is coming here?" Lucy questioned in alert. "Well then we have to prepare ourselves to fight! Whatever Karen wants from me can't be good!"

In another bright light, brighter than the one Virgo appeared in, Loke materialized in front of them. Natsu immediately stood in front of Lucy to protect her while Virgo did the same. Hibiki and the other men of Oak Town cowered in the corner, scared to fight the spirit.

"Hello again, Virgo," Loke greeted with a weak smile. "It's been a while since we've seen each other on Earthland."

"Hello," Virgo replied, her eyes hard while she was on the tip of her toes, ready for an attack. "I'm afraid I cannot let you take Princess."

"I know. Looks like we'll have to fight."

"Indeed."

The two stared each other down, waiting for the other to make a move while Lucy watched worriedly from the side, along with Natsu and Happy. Finally, Loke lunged forward quicker than her eyes could keep up. His fist was enveloped in light as he thrust it towards Virgo, who barely dodged. Lucy could tell the lion spirit was holding back, that he didn't want to fight Virgo but he had no choice.

Virgo watched every move Loke threw at her, knowing he wasn't even trying his hardest. Still, it was difficult to avoid. She knew that if just one of his punches made contact with her, she could be done for and sent back through her gate. And that would mean leaving Lucy alone to him and putting her in danger. She couldn't let that happen.

But dodging all of Loke's attacks only left Virgo on the defense, not giving her any time to counter. In the corner of her dull blue eyes, she could see Natsu protecting Lucy. At least she didn't have to worry about that for now.

Retrieving her whip, Virgo dodged another of Loke's punches and cracked it towards him, wrapping around his wrist. The small triumph the maid felt, however, diminished once Loke incinerated the end with his potent light. He then lunged for her and kicked her in the stomach, causing her to gasp for air.

Loke frowned as he slowly stepped towards Virgo, who was writhing on the ground, still trying to catch her breath. His ring lit once again as he stood over her.

"I'm sorry, Virgo," he stated, a pained look plastered to his face.

The maid gave a small smile and breathily replied, "It's okay, big brother. You two just weren't lucky like the rest of us to find an owner like Princess."

Loke clenched his jaw as he raised his fist into the air, ready to end his fight with the fellow spirit. Knowing that Karen would be losing her patience, he thrust his fist forward quickly, ready to hit Virgo.

But his fist didn't make contact.

Standing between the two spirits, Lucy held her arms outstretched protectively in front of Virgo, who stared at her in shock. Loke stopped his fist just inches away from the blonde's face, equally stunned. The girl had a hard set of eyes, shining with determination.

"Lucy!" Natsu called out. He didn't even notice her move until it was too late and was beyond relieved that Loke stopped his attack before it hit her.

"Princess, move!" Virgo ordered, her usual monotone voice dropped in desperation. "I'll be fine! I'll just be sent through my gate again!"

"No," Lucy replied, shaking her head. Tears pricked her eyes as she continued, "This isn't right. You two are friends. You shouldn't have to fight each other! I won't allow it!"

Loke stared into Lucy's eyes, completely shocked. Nobody had ever cared for spirits like that before, besides the late Queen, whom he had never met. The light on his hand flickered with his hesitance before his frown returned.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," he stated before moving to punch her.

Lucy's eyes shut closed tightly as she waited for the attack to hit her. To her surprise, it never did. Instead, a familiar heat licked her body. Opening her eyes, the girl found Natsu standing protectively in front of her, holding Loke's fist in his hand.

"Don't even think about touching her," he seethed before kicking Loke with a flaming foot and sending him flying feet backwards. He glared at his partner and shouted, "What the hell, Lucy! Are you trying to get yourself killed!?"

"I was just keeping them from fighting!" the blonde shot back, planting her hands on her hips.

Natsu growled and turned his attention back to Loke. "Don't do that again, Lucy. I can't have you getting hurt." With that said, he leapt towards the spirit and the two were throwing physical attacks, all being dodged. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Loke just barely jumped out of the way from Natsu's breath attack. The roar had such a wide range, it caught the tip of his pants. Natsu wasted no time running towards him and punching him square in the jaw. Loke quickly rose to his feet and dodged another flaming attack, countering with a punch of his own.

Natsu let out a pained cry after the blow. It wasn't just any punch, it was like his. His magic made it stronger, a lot stronger. He needed a few seconds to catch his breath, and when he did, he was right back to fighting the spirit.

Lucy watched, troubled by the whole ordeal. She didn't want anyone getting hurt. Natsu was her best friend and Loke was an innocent spirit forced to do terrible things. There was only one way to put an end to all of this fighting, and that was if she went with Loke.

But of course, that was a terrible idea. Whatever Karen wanted with her couldn't be good.

" _But then again,"_ Lucy thought, " _everyone said that Karen herself isn't strong, it's just Loke. Maybe I can beat her."_

It was beginning to look like she didn't have another option. Natsu and Loke were at a stalemate, both bloodied and bruised but not going down. And it didn't seem like anyone else was going to tell her why Karen needed her.

"Enough!" Lucy shouted, just as the two were going to hit each other again. They both paused and glanced at the blonde. "Fighting each other isn't the answer here! Fighting Karen is! Loke, you can't beat us. No matter how strong you are, there are too many of us here. And even if you did manage to take me, the castle is not too far. Natsu and Happy would come for me right away."

"I don't have a choice!" the spirit shot back. "If I don't listen to Karen, she'll…"

"What? She'll hurt you?" Lucy asked, glaring at the spirit. "It's obvious she already does hurt you! It's better to get hurt fighting for what you want instead of getting hurt because you're too scared!"

"I _am_ getting hurt for what I want! I am the one that asked for this life!"

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"To protect someone dear to me."

Lucy's eyes widened and her mouth slightly parted. Then it hit her. Loke wasn't alone. "Karen has another spirit, doesn't she?"

Loke gave a pained expression and nodded his head. "Aries."

"The Gate of the Ram."

"Yes. Aries has had nothing but a bad streak of owners. She is always being abused and mistreated no matter where she's gone. And it only got worse with Karen. I couldn't stand to see her like that anymore, so I made a deal. Deals are a spirit's essence. They are not to be broken. I told her that if she never summons Aries again, I will do whatever she wanted. I didn't know she meant _this_ at the time. I just couldn't see Aries get hurt again."

"Have you tried fighting Karen?" Natsu questioned, still alert for any attacks. He didn't trust the lion yet.

Loke shook his head and answered, "I can't. If a spirit hurts their master, they can be sentenced to death by the Spirit King. And if that happened, I wouldn't be there to protect Aries. T-This was my only option."

Lucy smiled encouragingly at the orange-headed boy and replied, "You did what you had to, to help your friend. And that's why we're going to help you. Take us to her, Loke. We'll fight the battle you can't for you."

Loke's eyes widened as he gaped at the blonde. "B-But you'll get hurt. Karen wants you there!"

"I know. And I want to know why."

"Are you sure about this, Lucy?" Happy questioned worriedly.

The girl nodded. "Positive. She can't beat all of us. Besides, as a celestial spirit mage, I wanna hurt her for everything she's done to the spirits!"

Natsu chuckled and replied, "Looks like you're all fired up!"

"Yep! What do you say, Loke? Do you think you can be a brave lion and help us out?"

Loke stared at the trio in shock. They were all crazy! Still, he gave them something he hadn't felt in years: hope. Hope that maybe he and Aries could escape Karen's clutches and live happy lives. Hope for redemption. With tears pricking his eyes, the spirit nodded his head.

"Yeah," Loke stated with a smile. "It's time I stop being the cowardly lion."

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys all enjoyed and please review! :D As promised, here is the sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _Lucy glared viciously at Karen, angered that she would speak of her past. Especially since she acted like she knew more about her than she did herself. To top it off, the woman wouldn't even explain herself. The blonde was undeniably seething with rage. And she was about to use Karen's body as an outlet._

And thank you to the people that reviewed last chapter: **Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, ThayetJade, Lunahartz, CupcakeGoddess22, Soul Eater Maka, Mezatron, Nalulove, Elena Parker, Guest, Alexa60765, Guest.** Big thank you to the guest that is currently reviewing every chapter! Means a lot! :D


	43. Chapter 43

**AN:** OMFG HAHA I STARTED WRITING SMUT FOR THIS STORY AND MY CHEEKS ARE BURNING. ANYWAYS ENJOY!

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Chapter 43

The Tin Man and the Scarecrow

"I'm sorry we won't be of much help," Hibiki stated with a look of shame. "I-I can't bring myself to hurt Karen."

"None of us can," Eve added.

It was moments after Loke's second attack and the group was circled in the destroyed home. Bricks and broken wood were lying around and the roof had a gaping hole in it.

"It's okay," Lucy assured with a smile. "We understand completely. We'll handle this."

Hibiki hesitantly opened his mouth to ask, "A-Are you going to kill her?"

Natsu noticed Lucy tense, knowing that killing wasn't something she was experienced or interested in. Still, if push came to shove, it had to be done whether they wanted it to happen or not. And they deserved to know that.

"If we have to we will," Natsu answered for Lucy with a hard look. "I know you guys had a past with her, but she ain't the same girl. This is a battle, and if it comes down to it, I'll kill her."

Hibiki and the other boys shared a pained look but nodded reluctantly. He was right. Karen did unspeakable things and was planning on doing more so. She needed to be stopped, no matter the cost.

"We should get going," Lucy said. "Thank you for everything, Hibiki. Good luck."

"You too," the boy replied, obviously fighting himself. He wanted to help but he just couldn't bring himself to go. Not when he was going to be fighting the woman he once loved.

Thus, Lucy and the rest of the group left, ready for their battle.

Not wanting to go back to Karen only to get beaten, Loke followed Lucy, Natsu, and Happy towards the castle. Through his tinted shades he could see Natsu watching him carefully with narrowed eyes, just daring him to try anything. Even if he did, the spirit was sure he wouldn't be able to beat the dragon slayer in the end. His power was limited being under Karen's control.

Loke glanced at Lucy, watching as she chatted with Happy about their plan. Her brown eyes were gleaming with determination, showing that she was completely serious about saving both he and Aries. He was glad that Virgo and the others were able to find such a loving owner. He knew of a couple other spirits that were in a similar situation as he.

But none of them had endured anything like Aries had. Nobody knew why, but Aries had always been mistreated through time. Perhaps it was her timid personality. No, that had come _after_ her abusive owners. It was probably her kindness, allowing others to walk all over her.

Loke tensed when he recalled the worst of Aries' beatings. It was with Karen. The cruel woman never hurt him, knowing he was much stronger than her, but often tortured the poor ram. One day, she had beaten the girl until she was lying in a pool of her own blood. Her pale skin turned purple with bruises and she had several gashes over her body. Her pink hair was stained red for a week.

And that was why Loke made the deal with Karen in the first place. He just couldn't see Aries suffer any longer. Karen often tried making him do her dirty work and he would always refuse. Though she hadn't ordered him to kill anyone yet, the things she demanded betrayed his morals. But he was willing to in order to help Aries. He just wish he knew what would happen afterwards.

"It'll be okay," Lucy suddenly called out to him, placing a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. She was smiling kindly at him, giving him the hope that he needed. "We're going to beat Karen and get you and Aries out of here. If you want, we can make contracts. And if not, I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

"You're saying you would give up two zodiac keys if we didn't want to make contracts with you?" Loke questioned skeptically.

Lucy noticed his doubt but smiled. "Yep! I offered all my other spirits the same. I don't think of you guys as tools or weapons. You have feelings that I would never want to betray."

Loke smiled and nodded his head, tears pricking his eyes. It would take him a while to get used to such kindness.

"I have to warn you now," the lion spirit began, "when we get there, Karen will order me to fight you and I won't have much a choice."

"I can take you on then!" Natsu exclaimed with a fanged grin. "We never finished our match earlier!"

"And then Lucy can beat Karen!" Happy added.

Lucy smiled at the two's confidence in her and nodded. "I can handle her. She's going to pay for everything she did!"

"I wonder why she needs you," Natsu said, crossing his arms behind his head.

"I do too. It's a good thing we're going to confront her!"

As the four approached the castle, they shared one last look before Natsu broke down the door and led the way in. Using his strong nose, the boy led the way towards Karen, his fists set aflame in preparation. Lucy held Happy protectively close to her chest in one hand and her keys in the other. Her brows were furrowed and she was ready to fight.

She had never been eager to fight before. Natsu was definitely rubbing off on her.

Natsu stopped just outside of a grand door, bigger than the rest they had passed and outlined in gold. Silently counting to three on his fingers to signal the rest, he burst through the doors, his body set ablaze. They were in a grand throne room, smaller than both Laxus' and Gray's but still regal. Well, save for the blood splattered on the floor in various places.

In the center of the room stood a woman with green hair covered by a strange blue hat. She wore a dark skirt, a black and white bikini top, and a long, maroon coat, the edges rimmed with pink feathers. Her brows furrowed in rage at the sight of Loke among them.

"Who the hell are the extra pieces of garbage?" Karen questioned the spirit, her voice low and menacing.

"Who are you calling a piece of garbage?" Natsu asked, pounding his fist into his palm, flames shooting out of the action. "The name's Flynn. And you're about to get beat, lady!"

Karen merely arched a brow at the boy before setting her gaze on Lucy. With that, a sinister grin graced her face.

"This is her, isn't it?" she questioned, taking a step towards the group. Natsu moved protectively in front of the blonde but Karen ignored him and continued, "Finally. After all this time she's finally here."

"The hell do you want with me?" Lucy questioned, glowering at the woman. She reached for her keys, ready to summon one when needed.

"You don't know? You're part of my plan, girl. You see, I've been trying to master a spell, one that has been denied to me."

"I already heard about that. You need the blood of the coward, the brainless, and the heartless."

"Exactly!"

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Why, darling, you're one of the ingredients! Well, your blood is at least. See, you're the brainless."

Lucy and her friends raised a brow, sharing a look of confusion. In no way did she ever consider herself dumb. She got straight A's throughout school and was the one that made all of their plans, the plans that hadn't failed yet.

"Are you sure you're talking about Lucy?" Happy asked. "And not Natsu?"

"Oi!" the dragon slayer barked. "I ain't brainless!"

"Could've fooled me!"

Karen's eyes flashed with amusement before she shook her head. "I am positive that she is my missing ingredient."

"And how is that?" Lucy asked defiantly.

Karen only smirked at her attitude. "What makes a brain? Not the biological stuff, but the practical stuff. In other words, what does a brain hold?"

"We're doing riddles now, huh? Talk about a cliché villain."

Karen laughed before continuing, "Snarky, I like that. A brain holds knowledge. Knowledge can be a fickle subject. For example, people are smart about some subjects like math or science while others are better at history or English. So how does one measure knowledge?"

"Give them a quiz?" Lucy asked sarcastically.

"No, brat. It depends on their knowledge of themselves, something they should know about even if they aren't academically smart. It doesn't matter if you don't know equations or whatever so long as you know yourself. And darling, you don't even know that!"

"I know myself just fine," Lucy spat.

"Oh really?" Karen asked with a heavy smirk. "Your parents, tell me about them. Oh that's right, you can't."

"Shut the hell up!"

"Here's an easier question: where were you born? You don't even know that!"

"Yes I do!" Lucy argued. "I was born in Seattle!"

Karen gave a wicked grin as she replied, "Nope! You weren't! And that is why you are the brainless! You have absolutely no knowledge of yourself. You don't know where you come from, where your parents are, hell, you don't even know your name!"

Lucy glowered at the woman and demanded, "What are you talking about?"

Karen glanced past the blonde and noticed the fearful look on both Natsu and Happy's faces. They knew about Lucy and were keeping it from her.

"Interesting," the green-haired woman mused with a sinister smile. "Anyways, I can't tell you! Then you wouldn't be the brainless, would you?"

Lucy formed tight fists with her hands and shot back, "I'd rather be brainless than heartless! Let me guess, your blood was needed for the spell too, huh?"

Karen laughed and answered, "Indeed it was! Talk about easy! You, however, have taken the longest time to acquire. I've been waiting years for this! So sorry, darling, but you're gonna have to bleed a bit for me!"

"I'd like to see you try, witch!" Lucy shot back, snapping her whip.

"Leo! Handle the boy! The girl is mine!"

Natsu and Loke glanced at each other, the former nodding and letting the latter know it was okay. With that, the spirit lunged forward, his rings lighting up the room. Natsu dodged and gave a roar of fire, only to be avoided.

Lucy glared viciously at Karen, angered that she would speak of her past. Especially since she acted like she knew more about her than she did herself. To top it off, the woman wouldn't even explain herself. The blonde was undeniably seething with rage. And she was about to use Karen's body as an outlet.

Karen smirked and asked, "Why don't we just have a physical battle, hmm? It'll make it quite more interesting."

"You're just saying that because you can't summon any more spirits," Lucy replied.

"You say that as if you can summon two!"

Lucy's hands brushed her keys but retrieved her whip instead. Things got too personal and she wanted to finish things herself, not relying on anyone else. Well, save for Natsu fighting Loke. Without saying another word, the blonde rushed forward to attack the older woman, a battle cry leaving her lips and her fist raised in the air.

Lucy swung with all of her might, only to be effortlessly dodged and then kicked in the gut. Coughing for air, the blonde forced herself back to her feet, her hand resting on her stomach. It hurt badly but she couldn't stop. She was in no way a fighter- especially when it came to just physical blows- but she was going to fight in order to get better. In order to get revenge for the abused spirits and for herself.

No matter what, she wasn't going to lose.

* * *

 **AN:** Got some huge battles coming up. :') Hope you enjoyed! Also, I've been trying to use the word "said" more because apparently it's better haha!

Thanks to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, HollyDragneel, CupcakeGoddess22, MasterGildarts, Guest(tao), crazydaisy-in-tha-house, Arethelya, ThayetJade, Leahcar-Soutaichou, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Alexa60765, Nalulove, NaluPrincess, KitKat2648, Black Star's Wife.**


	44. Chapter 44

**AN:** I'm working really hard on battle scenes in this story so tell me what you think! :)

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Chapter 44

Natsu v. Loke

Natsu grunted as Loke punched him straight in the jaw, his magic amplifying his strength. The two had been battling for a while now, neither gaining the upper hand, mainly because neither wanted to actually hurt the other. Technically, due to the spirit's contract, he was their enemy, but they all knew the truth. Still, the two boys had wide grins on their faces as they fought.

Loke was actually having the most fun he had experienced in years. Though Natsu's attacks hurt like hell, it was a friendly fight. Lucy was right, getting hurt for a chance at freedom was nothing compared to being hurt just for someone else's entertainment.

The two paused their battle to glance at Lucy and make sure she was doing alright. They both winced noticing that Karen had the upper hand. The blonde's body was raked with bruises and blood dripped from her mouth, yet she kept pushing through it, never giving up.

Loke smiled at the girl. She was so different than his own master, who was only selfish and cruel. Lucy didn't seem to crave power or relish in other people's fears. She seemed like a nice girl that only wanted to help others. After all of this was done with, he was definitely going to ask to make a contract with her.

But that was _if_ they got through this.

Lucy was obviously struggling against Karen, not summoning any spirits due to her stubbornness. She would probably forbid Natsu from joining the fight as well.

Loke glanced back to Natsu, who nodded in agreement. No matter what Lucy said, he would help her if needed. With that, the two continued to fight.

Lucy groaned and rubbed her head, which had just been slammed onto the tile floor. Her entire body ached and tears continued to prick her eyes, though she refused to let them shed. She wasn't about to give Karen that satisfaction. Thus, the girl rose to her feet and tried again.

Lucy gave a loud battle cry as she raised a fist and swung towards the green-haired woman, who once again dodged with ease. Not letting it faze her, the blonde quickly recovered with a swift kick that made contact with Karen's side, causing her to yelp and jump back.

A face-splitting grin appeared on Lucy's face. That was the first attack of hers that actually made contact. With newfound confidence, the blonde dashed towards the other woman before she could steady herself and punched her square in the cheek. Now it was Karen's mouth that had blood trickling out of the corners.

"Good job, Lucy!" Happy shouted from where he was watching on the side.

"Thanks, Happy!" the said girl replied, not taking her eyes off of Karen.

She knew she could have just summoned a spirit and get it over with fast, but refused to. This was something she wanted to do on her own. No, she _needed_ to do on her own. Karen brought up her painful past and insecurities and laughed while she did. She couldn't get away with that. Besides, what kind of savior would she be if she couldn't beat just one person on her own?

Lucy loved her spirits and was unendingly grateful for each of them, but she had to find her own strength. If there ever came a time when she didn't have her keys, she needed to be able to fight on her own. What better way to improve and gain experience than a real fight?

Still, even though Lucy couldn't use her spirits- or refused to- that didn't mean she couldn't use her trusty whip. Or so she thought. Cracking the weapon towards her enemy, the blonde remembered that the end was shredded thanks to Loke's initial attack. And without a strong end, there was no strong whip.

Karen shrugged the weapon's loose hold on her wrist off, snarling at Lucy. Though she was nowhere near being done in their fight, she had to admit she underestimated the younger woman. She never even thought she would land a hit. It was time to put an end to their fight and get what she needed: the blonde's blood.

Karen reached into her coat's pocket and retrieved a dagger, its jagged edge glinting under the light. With a wicked grin, the woman licked the flat edge of the knife. Lucy's eyes widened and her stomach churned with anxiety. One wrong move could mean death for her.

Natsu noticed the dagger from where he was with Loke and rushed towards Lucy to help her, only to be stopped by the leader of the Zodiac. Loke gave a sorrowful frown, which only deepened when the dragon slayer growled at him threateningly.

"If you want to help her, you have to beat me first," the spirit stated. "I cannot allow you to hurt Karen because of our contract."

"Just move!" Natsu shot back, losing his patience.

"You know I can't. Beat me and I will move."

And with that, the pinkette's sliver of patience was gone, replaced with an urge to turn the persistent spirit to ashes so he could help Lucy. He funneled his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Loke avoided the searing flames and dashed towards the boy again. They couldn't mess around anymore, it was time to get serious.

Natsu watched as Loke's fist glowed brightly and arched a brow. It was brighter than before and he sensed more magical power radiating from it. The attack had to have been different. He had to stay on his toes.

And sure enough, Loke brought his fist back and shouted, "Regulus Impact!"

Natsu leapt out of the way, watching the spirit's shining fist make contact with the tile marble and a huge crater formed. A lion of light appeared for a brief second before disappearing. Cracks spread throughout the floor, all the way towards Lucy and Happy while the tiles closer to them were completely eradicated. His punches definitely had more juice to them.

" _I can't let that hit me,"_ Natsu thought as he avoided multiple of Loke's attack. " _If it hits me, I'm done for."_

Avoiding another of the spirit's attacks, the pinkette countered while shouting, "Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow!" Ducking, he elbowed Loke in the gut, sending him spiraling away and his stomach scorched. Still, the orange-headed boy rose to his feet, causing Natsu to groan. "Why can't you just stay down?"

"I could say the same to you," Loke replied. "I'm sorry, Natsu. But I have to give my all."

"So do I in order to help Lucy." Wasting no time, the dragon slayer launched himself towards his enemy, fire shooting out of his feet in order to propel himself to go faster. His hands were set ablaze, ready to make contact.

Loke sighed just as Natsu was mere feet away and shouted, "Lion Brilliance!"

The entire room glowed brightly, as if every star in the universe was placed in the room with them, as if there was no space dimming the light from stars. Natsu yelped and covered his eyes, unable to keep them open, along with everyone else in the room besides Loke. Using this to his advantage, the orange-headed male lunged towards his enemy.

"Regulus Impact!" he shouted, punching Natsu in the ribs.

Natsu's body was sent flying backwards, crying in pain as he landed. Writhing on the floor, the boy clutched his chest, gasping for air as the light died down. It hurt so bad, tears pricked his eyes, and he was _not_ a crier. He definitely had a broken rib at the least. Fighting was going to be nearly impossible.

But Natsu staggered to his feet anyways, wiping away the blood that oozed out of his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Lucy and Happy were in danger, he couldn't give up no matter how badly it hurt. He would rather die trying than give up.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted, temporarily forgetting her match with Karen. After Loke's bright attack, all she could hear was the boy's pained grunts and found him curled in pain.

"I-I'm okay," the pinkette replied, his voice hoarse. "This is nothing."

"No it isn't!" the blonde argued. "You need to see a doctor, now!"

"No time for that… Stay focused on your fight, Lucy. I'll handle Loke. You need to stop Karen and save this town. You're the savior, aren't you?"

Lucy reluctantly nodded. "Yeah."

"Then beat the witch," Natsu replied with a smirk.

The girl nodded and forced her attention back to her enemy, leaving Natsu to face his again. His breaths were jagged and his body was pulsing with pain. But that didn't stop him from running up to the spirit and delivering a flamed punch.

Loke stumbled back, giving Natsu an opportunity to go on a rampage. Grabbing his opponents, collar, the pinkette pulled him forward only to send him back again with a roar of fire that finally hit. The spirit was slightly charred, his clothes seemingly taking the brunt of the attack. Still, he wobbled on his feet and his skin was burnt, sure to blister.

Now both boys were on even ground. Not wanting to lose his momentum, Natsu lunged forward and elbowed Loke harshly in the gut, flames spewing from the attack. The dragon slayer rushed forward, ready to land another hit when Loke blinded him again with his light. Sniffing the air, Natsu grinned.

"Even if I can't see you, I can still smell and hear you!" he exclaimed, ducking to avoid an attack. Igniting his hands and bringing them together, the boy created a giant ball of fire and threw it the spirit's way while shouting, "Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

There was a loud explosion before the light disappeared, allowing Natsu to open his eyes. The castle was in even worse condition, the walls and floor destroyed. Loke laid in the rubble, his sunglasses knocked off of him.

The spirit struggled to lift his head in order to smile at Natsu. "Thank you," he whispered, before disappearing in a faint glow.

Natsu grinned before falling back on his bum, having used a lot of magical power.

From where she was watching, Karen glowered at the dragon slayer. Grabbing Loke's key, she cursed at it before throwing it across the room.

"Useless spirit!" the woman shouted.

Lucy distractedly turned her attention towards Natsu, grinning at him.

"Good job, Natsu!" she congratulated. "But I hope you didn't hurt him too badly!"

"Don't worry," the pinkette replied. "He's fine. The guy's a tough one."

Lucy was about to voice her agreements when suddenly she was yanked back by the hair. Karen pinned the blonde's arms to her sides and held a dagger to her throat. Natsu jumped to his feet with a growl, glaring dangerously at the greenette.

"Let her go," he snarled, igniting his fists once again.

"Take another step and I will slit her throat," Karen replied. Natsu inched forward, causing the woman to press the blade closer to Lucy's neck and drawing blood, which immediately stopped the dragon slayer. "I can slit her throat faster than you can send a fireball towards me and you know it."

With that, Natsu backed down with a growl.

"Let go of me!" Lucy ordered, careful not to thrash her body around considering there was a knife to her neck.  
"Not yet," Karen replied with a sinister grin. Grabbing a vial out of her pocket with one hand and keeping the dagger on Lucy's flesh with the other, the woman released a wicked laugh. "You three have embarrassed me enough. It's time to do what I wanted from the start."

Karen moved the vial towards Lucy's neck, where blood was trickling out of it. The vial was filled halfway with blood, presumably a mixture of Karen's and Loke's. Lucy's blood slowly dripped into the vial, and when enough was in it, the blood began to glow bright.

Karen laughed and kicked Lucy in the back, sending her towards Natsu and Happy, who caught her and checked her injuries. The woman brought the vial to her lips and drank the glowing blood without even a grimace.

Light engulfed Karen as Lucy and the others watched, on their toes for any attacks. When the light disappeared, Karen was left standing with a face-splitting grin. Magic oozed off of her, needing to be released. And the woman knew just who she wanted to use it on.

"Because of the mess you three have made in my castle, you will experience my new spell first!" Karen stated. A golden circle appeared in her eyes as she began to chant.

She was going to use Urano Metria.

* * *

 **AN:** Things are getting intense! :D

Thanks to the reviewers: **CupcakeGoddess22, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, NaluPrincess, KitKat2648, ThayetJade, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Nalulove.**


	45. Chapter 45

**AN:** Guys I've officially been writing Nalu stories for a year now! How awesome is that? :D I think I've gotten a bit better since my first Nalu story haha! Also, I haven't done a QOTD in a while so here's one from my friend Lunahartz: Who is your favorite dragon slayer? :D I answered this on my other story, but my favorite is actually Gajeel lmao.

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Chapter 45

Urano Metria

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy watched with wide eyes and gaping mouths as Karen began to chant the necessary words for the spell. After making sure Lucy was alright, Natsu wasted no time jumping to his feet and throwing himself towards Karen to stop the spell. The green-haired woman paused her enchantments to summon Aries now that Loke was back in his realm.

Aries was a pale spirit was pink hair, similar to Natsu's but it was poofed at the bottom like wool. Her outfit consisted of wool as well, which was made into a short dress. Two horns protruded her head. The spirit stood timidly before creating a vast sea of pink wool, blocking all of Natsu's fire and taking the hits for Karen. Natsu huffed and got rid of the wool with his fire, only for more of the fluffy pinkness to appear, courtesy of Aries herself.

"Hold him off for me," Karen ordered, glaring at the spirit.

"Y-Yes! I'm sorry!" Aries apologized, though she did nothing wrong.

Lucy no longer had the choice but to rely on her spirits. If Karen was using Urano Metria, she had to do everything she could to stop her. None of her keys, however, seemed like they could combat Aries' wool, and it wasn't like she wanted to hurt the poor spirit more than she already was.

"Open, Gate of the crab, Cancer!" Lucy shouted. Cancer appeared in a flash of light, his arms crossed while he held scissors in his hand.

"Hello, ebi," he greeted, his voice raspy. "Did you need a haircut, ebi?"

"Of course not!" Lucy replied, gesturing to their surroundings. "Do you think you can cut through Aries' wool?"

"Of course. But the problem is she can just make more, ebi."

"I just need you to cut enough to clear the space for Natsu! Hey, Natsu! Don't hurt Aries too much, alright?"

The dragon slayer gave a sigh but nodded. "Alright, Luce. But you owe me! Take care of Karen!"

Lucy nodded and turned her attention towards Karen while Cancer went to assist Natsu. The pink wool was quickly starting to fill their side of the room, so thick that it could suffocate them unless they fled. Which wasn't even an option since Aries' wool blocked the exit. There was nothing she could do except wait for Natsu to take down Aries before she could fight Karen.

Which scared the hell out of her.

If Urano Metria was such a powerful spell, then Karen having a hold on it meant nothing but disaster. And if Karen was planning on using the spell on them, they were screwed.

"Lucy!" Happy exclaimed, just barely squeezing himself through the wool to reach the blonde. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting," the blonde answered. "I can't do anything if this wool is around. Natsu needs to take down Aries first."

"But Karen-!"

"I know. I need to stop her now before she activates the spell. I don't know how long it takes to start, but she has to be almost finished. I don't know what to do, Happy!"

"It sounds like you could use some help," a familiar voice spoke.

Lucy and Happy turned to find Hibiki shoving himself through the wool and towards them. He was about to be sucked in and probably suffocated if it weren't for Lucy and Happy pulling him the rest of the way through. The three stood in the little space they had left.

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked. "I thought that you didn't want to come!"

"I didn't," Hibiki replied. "Truthfully, I still don't want to be here. Especially since the woman I once loved is here and is trying to kill everyone."

"Why are you here then?" Happy questioned.

Hibiki frowned, his hands forming tight fists as I answered, "I came to help. Karen killed the King and most of the town. I can't let her keep killing people and sitting back because of my feelings for her. She needs to be stopped."

"I'm glad you realized that, but unless you can do something about this wool, we're screwed and you just screwed yourself by coming here," Lucy replied, gesturing to the chaos around them.

Hibiki smiled weakly at the blonde and stated, "I may not be able to do anything about the wool, but I can do something about Karen."

"You can?" the other two asked in unison.

"Yes. I didn't get the chance to tell you this earlier, but I'm a mage. I have a rare type of magic called Archive Magic. Think of it as having a key to the world's database. After Karen became obsessed with Urano Metria, I used my magic to research it. It took a while to find, but I did it. I can't use the spell, Lucy. But you can."

"Me?" Lucy asked, pointing to herself. "I've never used it before though!"

"I know," Hibiki replied. "I'll take care of that. You just need to find a way to bring us next to Karen."

"Did you forget about this wool?"

"No, but you're forgetting to utilize all of your spirits. Virgo can dig through the ground and bring us next to Karen."

Lucy's eyes widened before she blushed and chuckled awkwardly. "I guess I didn't think about that."

Hibiki smiled at the blonde and replied, "It's alright. Do you think you can handle summoning another spirit?"

"I'm not sure… Can't I just close Cancer's gate?"

"He is helping Natsu right now. I don't even think his fire alone is fast enough to cut down Aries' wool before it suffocates him. You need to do a multi-summoning. It will take a lot of magical power and very few celestial mages were able to do this."

"What makes you think I can!? I've only been here for a couple months!"

"You're the savior," Hibiki answered confidently. "I have complete confidence that you can do this. Not even Karen can handle this. But I need to warn you first, Lucy. Summoning more than one spirit is dangerous and requires a lot of energy. It can kill you if you don't have enough."

Lucy nodded, determination gleaming in her eyes. "I can do this." Closing her eyes, Lucy took a few deep breaths while mustering up the remainder of her magical power. She felt it swirl within her warmly and she felt like she could do it. "Open, Gate of the maiden, Virgo!"

In a bright light, Virgo appeared with her signature uninterested expression. Lucy staggered on her feet, her legs threatening to give out on her but she managed to stay standing. Her body felt overwhelmingly drained, almost like she had puked up all of her insides. Her head felt heavy like lead.

"Hello, Princes," Virgo greeted. "Is it time for punishment?"

"You're weird as always," Lucy replied, leaning on the spirit for support. "I need you to take us behind Karen."

"Wait," Hibiki ordered, just as Virgo was about to dig. He stared into Lucy's eyes and continued, "I need to tell you one last thing. Urano Metria probably takes more magical power than summoning two spirits, which you already did. You already have less than half of your magical power. Using Urano Metria may and probably will kill you."

"What?" Happy asked, glancing between the two with worried eyes.

Hibiki nodded and added, "Karen's spell is about to activate any second now and Natsu isn't going to reach her in time, even with Cancer's help. The only thing that can beat Urano Metria now is an even more powerful Urano Metria."

"And you think mine would be stronger than Karen's?" Lucy asked surprisingly calmly.

"I am positive. You were born with this magic, among other reasons. I know yours would be stronger than Karen's. The problem is that you probably won't survive afterwards. I can transfer my magical power into you but even then it might not be enough. I'm not that strong. Lucy, are you willing to die to save your friends?" Hibiki questioned, his gaze serious.

"No!" Happy shouted. "Lucy, you can't do the spell! We can find another way!"

Lucy ignored her friend and nodded. "I am. Virgo, let's go."

"As you wish, Princess," Virgo replied, her lips curving downwards into a frown while her eyes pooled with sadness. She quickly drilled into the ground, creating a tunnel towards Karen.

"Lucy, stop!" Happy begged, tears welling in his eyes. He grabbed onto her leg and continued, "You can't die! I don't want you to! Natsu doesn't either!"

"And I don't want you two to die," Lucy replied, petting the cat and smiling at him softly. "Which is why I must do this."

Ignoring Happy's pleas, the blonde leapt into the hole, followed by Hibiki. She walked briskly through the tunnel, not having the energy to run. Now she really knew she wasn't going to make it. She couldn't even run. Still, if it meant saving Natsu and Happy, she was fine with that.

Lucy climbed out of the hole, Hibiki doing the same. Virgo left, not wanting to use up any more of Lucy's magic.

"You said you could handle the spell, right?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," Hibiki answered with a nod. "Stay still. It'll hurt a little."

Lucy did as she was told and stayed still while Hibiki brought his hands to her head. Then a wave of hot pain flashed through her body, a scream escaping her lips. She could feel Hibiki's magic pouring into her before her sight began to black out.

Lucy could no longer hear or see anything.

"Lucy!" Happy shouted.

The blonde's eyes were closed as her mouth moved with an unimaginable speed as she chanted the words to the spell. Her lips, along with the rest of her body, acted on their own. Karen's spell was just about to finish, along with Lucy's solely because her lips were moving inhumanely fast.

"Open thy malevolent gate," Lucy chanted, her voice lifeless. "Oh 88 Stars of the heaven… Shine!" Lucy opened her eyes, revealing golden magical circles over her dull brown orbs.

The room filled with light brighter than Loke's Lion Brilliance as both Karen's and Lucy's spell finished at the same time. Constellations orbited around both users, giving them their power. The only thing to determine the winner would be their spell's strength.

Before Karen could harvest the power of the constellations, Lucy finished first. All of the energy struck Karen, a pain filled shriek escaping her lips. Nobody in the room could see anything, forced to keep their eyes closed due to the bright light.

When the light died down, the first thing Natsu noticed was that the pink wool that kept obstructing his way was finally gone, along with both Aries and Cancer. Then he noticed Karen laying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. The next thing the boy saw was Hibiki, laying on the floor as well. Next to Hibiki was a sobbing Happy, his face buried in his paws. And lastly, his eyes landed on Lucy.

Lucy's eyes were stony and lifeless as she stood still in her spot. Her body was raked with scratches and her previous injuries from her battle with Karen. She looked as though she had been scathed by fire.

"L-Lucy?" Natsu choked out, his mouth hung on its hinges as he watched her. "Lucy, are you okay?"

The said girl didn't respond or even react to his question. Instead, she remained still, staring ahead into nothingness.

"She used a spell to stop Karen!" Happy informed him between sobs. "She already used a lot of magic summoning two spirits, and then she used Urano Metria! Natsu!"

Natsu glanced back at Lucy, noticing that she had yet to move. He was about to call out to her again when her eyes drooped closed and she fell to the floor.

"Lucy!" Natsu cried, rushing to her side, Happy doing the same. He rolled the blonde over and gently patted her face, urging her to wake up. Her eyes remained closed, however.

The savior had fallen.

* * *

 **AN:** Lucy won but not without getting wrecked herself. :') Tell me what you think in the reviews!

 **Lunahartz:** Ahh sis thanks for your reviews, especially the one you left on War! If you ever make an account let me know so that we can keep in touch better. :')

And thank you to everyone else who reviewed as well: **Shadow Joestar, Master Gildarts, Alexa60765, AfroGaming, ThayetJade, KitKat2648, Soul Eater Maka, CupcakeGoddess22, NaluPrincess, Lunahartz, Nalulove, Arethelya, Celestialwizzard, sabrina-luna,potter.** You guys rock! :D


	46. Chapter 46

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D This chapter is a little boring but the next chapter is better, I promise! QOTD: What is your fav nalu moment? I love every moment but my favorite is when Natsu helps Lucy up and comforts her after she lost to Flare. :')

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Chapter 46

Porlyusica

"Lucy!" Natsu cried, gently stirring the girl's body in hopes of waking her up. "Lucy! Wake up!"

Happy sat beside the pair, his tears unending. He blamed himself for the whole ordeal. After all, he knew what Lucy was planning. He could have flied them out of there whether she wanted him to or not. But that would mean leaving Natsu. He supposed he was just hoping Lucy would be able to prevail.

But it was beginning to look like she wasn't.

"Her pulse," Hibiki croaked from where he was laying on the floor. Sweat dotted his face and his breathing was heavy from transferring most of his magic to Lucy. "Check her pulse."

Natsu nodded and hastily placed his fingertips on the girl's neck. He never had to search for a pulse before and it was proving to be quite difficult for him. Eventually, his fingers felt the slightest of pulses, causing him to press harder. They were terrifyingly spread apart, meaning she was just barely alive.

And probably didn't have much longer if they didn't do something soon.

"She's alive!" Natsu stated in order to relieve the sobbing exceed beside him. "But just barely! We need to get her some help now! Where's the nearest doctor?"

"There are none in this town," Hibiki forced himself to answer. "Karen killed them all so they wouldn't be able to help."

"Then we'll go to-!"

"If you're thinking Shirotsume, there is no one able to help with this matter."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Natsu asked, snarling at the other boy. Heat began to flare in the room as smoke escaped his mouth.

"M-Maybe we can ask Laxus," Happy suggested. "I'm sure he has some good medical mages! He's the King!"

"But that would take two, almost three days!" the dragon slayer argued.

"We don't have any other choice!"

"He's right," Hibiki added.

"Damn it!" Natsu shouted. "Happy, you still have magic left in you, right?"

"Aye!" the cat replied with a nod.

"Alright. You need to fly to Magnolia as fast as you can. I think you'd be faster than me. Take as little breaks possible, okay? Go to the castle and tell them everything that happened and that they need to get here as fast as possible."

"You aren't coming?"

"No. I'm going to stay here with Lucy. You can do this, Happy."

"B-But I can only fly. When my magic runs out I'll be slow."

"Which is why you need to fly as long as you can. Believe in yourself, buddy. You have to do this for Lucy."

That gave all of the resolve Happy needed. He was still insecure from when he was unable to help Juvia, but he would try his hardest for Lucy. Wings sprouted from his back and in the blink of an eye, the cat was flying through one of the holes Natsu created in the wall, never looking back. Natsu smiled proudly at his partner before turning his attention back towards Lucy.

Lucy was absolutely drenched in sweat but her body was ice cold, almost as cold as Gray's magic. Her skin was pale and her lips were cracked. Though Natsu still found her beautiful, it was clear the girl was in a terrible state.

Natsu carefully positioned Lucy onto his back and carried her out of the room and through the castle in search of a bedroom, deciding he would help Hibiki later. He preferred one that wasn't used but so long as it had a bed to rest the blonde on, it would have to do. Luckily, he found a room that was spotless and had a well-made bed covered with blankets and pillows.

After gently settling Lucy on the bed, Natsu retrieved a chair and put it at the girl's bedside. Reaching his fingers out, the boy tucked some of her golden hair behind her ear and caressed her soft cheeks.

If only he knew what she was planning, he would've stopped her. He would've done anything to reach her, even if it meant killing the spirit that Lucy wanted to help. Well, not that he could've killed Aries or Loke since they just go through their gates, but still. He would've turned them to ashes if it meant saving her.

"And you call me an idiot," Natsu murmured. "Damn it, Lucy. When this is over, I'm going to annoy the hell out of you every day for this."

Natsu formed tight fists with his hands and let his gaze drop to the bed. Annoying Lucy wasn't the only thing he had to do if Lucy woke up. No, he had to tell her the truth. No matter what would happen. There was no way he could let her die without finding about the truth about herself and her parents, the people she had been searching for her whole life.

He was going to tell her.

* * *

Happy flew through the forest, narrowly avoiding any of the trees that obstructed his path. He had been flying the entire day, taking only a few breaks to recharge his magical power. His wings felt like they were going to shrivel away with how exhausted they were but he kept pushing himself. If Lucy's life was on the line, he was going to persevere.

Eventually, Happy flew out of the thick forest and onto the path towards Magnolia, and eventually into the town itself. It was just as lively as ever with townspeople laughing and strolling around. Happy envied them for a brief second before focusing once more on his task.

Ignoring the pain that sprouted from his wings, Happy flew forward in the direction of the castle with all of the speed he could muster up. Reaching the castle, the cat stopped just in front of the guards, panting for air.

"I need to see Laxus!" Happy demanded, his voice shrill and panicked.

The guards shared a glance before pointing their spears at him.

"Who are you to refer to our King so informally?" one of them questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Leave now!" the other barked, inching their spear closer. "The King is busy!"

"My name is Happy!" the cat insisted. "I helped the King find his true love! Tell him the savior is in danger!"

The guards ignored him and ordered him to leave once again. Happy flew back in order to avoid the spears that were getting dangerously close to his face. With his tail hanging between his legs, Happy dropped to the ground, his magical power all used up along with his motivation. That is, until a familiar voice spoke.

"Happy?" they called out. The said exceed glanced up to find Mira approaching him, her brows arched in confusion. "What are you doing here? Where's Lucy and Natsu?"

"Mira!" Happy exclaimed, hope rejuvenated within him.

"Ms. Strauss," the guards greeted, bowing towards the silver-haired mage.

Mira ignored them and asked Happy, "Did you need something?"

"Aye!" Happy answered, frantically nodding his head. "It's Lucy! She's in danger and I need to talk to Laxus!"

Worry settled in Mira's eyes and she nodded in understanding, pushing past the guards and leading the way into the caste. Happy shot the two guards a glare before following, snickering at their shocked faces. In no time, the two were entering Laxus' throne room, unannounced. The King was sitting in his throne while Makarov sat beside him.

"Mira?" Laxus questioned upon seeing the serious girl, next to whom was Happy. "What's going on?"

"It's Lucy," Mira answered. "She's in trouble."

"She was fighting against an evil mage and she used too much of her magic!" Happy explained. "Please, you have to send a medic there to help her! She's running out of time!"

"Alright," Laxus replied with a nod. "Since she helped Mira, I'll repay the favor. I'll send some of my best doctors with you."

"No," Makarov stated. "Your medics aren't enough to handle this. We need a healer to bring back her magical power. I know of just the person. What happened to this evil mage that Lucy was fighting against?"

"Lucy won," Happy answered. "I-I think she's dead."

Makarov nodded and replied, "Lucy did what needed to be done, it is alright. Laxus, you and Mira can stay here and watch over the kingdom. I'll go with Happy to get the healer and bring her to Lucy."

"Shouldn't you stay here with Laxus?" Mira questioned. "I don't know anything about running a kingdom and if anything happens, you should be here to help."

"I can't. The healer I am talking about is a crabby old woman that isn't fond of people. She barely tolerates me. Let's go, Happy."

"Aye!"

* * *

Natsu sprang to his feet as Happy's scent filled his nose, along with Makarov's and someone he didn't recognize, presumably the medic. It had been over two days since Happy left and Lucy's condition only got worse. Along with losing her magic, the blonde now had a nasty fever. Her pulse was slowing by the minute, they needed to help now.

As if on cue, the door burst open, revealing a highly disheveled Happy, his blue fur matted with grime and sweat. Makarov stood beside him, his gaze immediately falling on Lucy.

"I did it, Natsu! I got help!" Happy announced, walking towards his partner and practically collapsing onto his lap.

Natsu chuckled and replied, "Good job, buddy! You can rest now. You did enough. Thanks to you, Lucy will be alright."

Happy nodded and immediately his eyes drooped closed and he was snoozing away.

"That is quite some wishful thinking you have there, boy," an unfamiliar and irritated voice stated.

Natsu glanced towards the doorway where an older woman with pink hair similar to his but lighter stood next to Makarov. Her face was wrinkled with age and made worse with the scowl she gave him. Glancing towards Lucy, the woman narrowed her eyes with a huff.

"Tsch. Damn girl shouldn't even be alive right now. I'm surprised she's still breathing," the woman stated, pushing past Makarov and standing beside Lucy.

Natsu growled protectively and asked, "What the hell did you just say?"

"The truth. What? Do you not like it? Would you prefer if I left right now and let your friend die?"

"Porlyusica," Makarov intervened. "Stop baiting the boy and help Lucy."

The woman, Porlyusica, huffed before raising her hands over Lucy's body, a green glow emitting from them.

"You're lucky the girl's magic was still lingering in the other room," Porlyusica stated. "Without it, she would be dead before tomorrow. Just what spell did she use anyways?"

"Urano Metria," Natsu reluctantly answered, crossing his arms. He didn't exactly want to talk to the cranky lady, but if she was going to help Lucy, he would answer whatever questions she had.

"Happy said that she used the spell in a battle with another mage," Makarov replied.

"Yeah. A dark mage named Karen. She was going to use the spell on us but Lucy did it too and hers was stronger."

"Is this Karen still alive?"

Natsu shook his head. "No. She's dead."

"Happy was right then," Makarov replied. "It is probably for the best seeing as how they were corrupt."

Natsu nodded in agreement and watched as Porlyusica continued to heal Lucy. Eventually, the crabby woman informed him that she managed to get rid of the fever.

"Magic Deficiency Syndrome is much harder to treat," Porlyusica stated in annoyance. "You would think the late Queen's daughter would know better."

Natsu choked on his saliva and stared in shock at the woman.

"Y-You know about that?" he asked warily. Guilt sprouted within him, suspecting that she knew he was aware of Lucy's identity as well. He had already told Makarov after the situation with Mira, but he didn't think the medic would know.

"Of course I do," the fellow pinkette answered.

"We were both acquaintances with Queen Heartfilia," Makarov informed him. "I knew who Lucy was the moment I laid eyes on her. She is the spitting image of Layla."

"It is thanks to me that this brat was even born," Porlyusica added. "Layla had troubles during her pregnancy and I was there to help her through it. To think that I would have to help this girl again is rather annoying."

"Deal with it," Makarov told her. He then faced Natsu and stated, "You are also aware of Lucy's identity. Why haven't you told her?"

Natsu frowned and answered, "It's a long story."

"Well, whatever your reasoning, it would be wise to tell Lucy the moment she wakes up. The longer secrets are kept, the more pain they bring when they are revealed."

* * *

 **AN:** So Lucy is dying but Porlyusica is there to help! Btw, I hate spelling that name I mess it up all the time lmao. Hope you liked the chapter! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **Guest, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, NaluPrincess, CupcakeGoddess22, ThayetJade, Shadow Joestar, Soul Eater Maka, samiraahmed12, Alexa60765, Flire and Ice, Sblackw, Xtreaer, Lunahartz, Nalulove.** I'm glad you guys still like this slow burn of a story! :D


	47. Chapter 47

**AN:** QOTD: If there was one thing you could change about FT, what would it be? I think I would add more Lucy badass moments lol. :)

* * *

Chapter 47

No Longer Cowardly

It was a chilly day in all of Fiore as summer was officially gone and in its place was none other than autumn. The green leaves were turning beautiful shades of reds and oranges, even a few yellows. A not too gentle breeze blew by, causing the trees to sway in it. Rain threatened to fall from the gloomy clouds.

It was on this day that Lucy Ashley's chocolate brown eyes fluttered open for the first time in two weeks, though it only felt like half a day. The blonde groggily rubbed her eyes and groaned as she sat up, sporting an annoying headache. Her muscles were still sore from her fight with Karen but she was surprised to find that the scrapes that were previously covering her skin were gone.

"Good morning, Princess," a smooth voice called out from her bedside. Turning her head- which caused her migraine to flare- Lucy found that it was none other than Loke, who was smiling gently at her.

"Loke!" the blonde exclaimed in excitement. She hissed and grabbed her head. Yelling definitely wasn't the best thing to do in her situation. When her head felt a bit better, the blonde questioned, "What happened? The last thing I remember is using Urano Metria at the same time as Karen. And where are we? Wait, am I dead? Do humans go to the Celestial Spirit World after they die?"

Loke chuckled, interrupting Lucy before she could ask any more questions. Shaking his head, he answered, "You're not dead. You're very much alive, thanks to a healer named Porlyusica. If you ever see her again, you should thank her. You barely lived through all of this."

"What happened then? After I used the spell. What happened to Karen?"

Loke's eyes flashed with grief as he answered, "She's dead."

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat but not in the good way. Her eyes went wide and she waited- _prayed-_ for Loke to tell her he was just kidding. There was no way that she had killed someone. As evil as Karen was, killing was not something she ever wanted to do. She never imagined she would take someone's life.

But alas, the spirit was not kidding. She killed Karen.

Blinking back tears, Lucy replied shakily, "O-Oh. I'm sorry, Loke. I'm sure that you wanted to save her but I-"

"Don't blame yourself," the spirit interrupted with a kind smile. "You only did what was necessary to save yourself and your friends. I would have done the same if I could."

Lucy nodded but she was unconvinced. The guilt she felt was probably going to stick with her for the rest of her life. And she deserved it, she thought. Taking a life was not a small matter.

Wanting to change the subject, Lucy questioned, "What happened next? And where are we?"

"We're still in the castle," Loke answered. "After your fight with Karen, you passed out. Natsu carried you here. You were barely breathing and on the verge of death so he sent Happy to Magnolia to see if King Dreyar could send someone to help."

"And Happy managed to get there by himself?"

"Yes. The King's grandfather, the former king, accompanied Happy along with Porlyusica. They barely got here in time and Porlyusica had to gather your magical power before returning what she could back to you. You also had a bad fever. Porlyusica did what she could and left with Makarov. Since then, Natsu and Happy have just been waiting for you to wake up."

"Since then?" Lucy repeated. "You make it sound like I've been asleep for a while."

"Because you have," the spirit replied with a chuckle. "You've been asleep two weeks now."

Lucy's eyes widened and she shrieked, "What!?"

"Magical Deficiency Syndrome is a serious illness. One that you were lucky to survive from. Just be glad that you lived, Princess."

"Alright," the blonde muttered, still not pleased that she missed out on two whole weeks of her life. What if something happened to the next character of the story? Not to mention the guilt she felt for making Natsu and Happy worry so much. "Wait a second, why are you calling me Princess?"

Loke's eyes widened a fraction before he quickly recovered and lied smoothly, "I think it fits you! You're the most beautiful girl in all of the land, might as well be royalty!"

"Didn't know you were such a flirt," Lucy sighed.

The spirit winked and replied, "Loke, at your service."

"So what are you doing here anyways?"

"I came the moment I sensed you were starting to wake. I have my key along with Aries'. Now that Karen is dead- which is still not your fault so don't blame yourself- we can finally find ourselves a new master. One that cares for their spirits. We'd like that person to be you, Lucy."

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked. Frowning, she continued, "I'm not really strong. I'm sure there are stronger celestial mages out there."

"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for," Loke replied with a smirk. "The last person able to use Urano Metria was Layla Heartfilia, the late Queen. And she was deemed one of the most powerful celestial mages to have existed, save for Anna Heartfilia, her ancestor."

"Thanks, Loke. I guess that makes me feel better. Alright then! Let's make these contracts!"

"Not yet. We want you to fully regain you magical power before you even think about summoning another spirit. Not even Plue."

"Fine, fine. Was I really that close to dying?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"Very," Loke answered.

Lucy gazed at her hands, which were intertwined in her lap. There was only one thing she regretted before using the spell. It wasn't the time she wasted in Seattle, using the spell itself, or even not finding her parents. It was the fact that she had so many feelings for Natsu she never got to speak of.

It had only been a few days- or she supposed two weeks and a few days with the time that she was asleep- since Lucy found out her feelings for Natsu. At first the girl wanted nothing more than to pretend they didn't exist. Yet when she was accepting her death, she realized that keeping them bottled inside wasn't something she wanted to do.

"Did you forget about me, Princess?" Loke teased with a smirk, bopping her on the nose.

Lucy flushed and answered, "Sorry, I guess I did. I was just thinking about something."

"Was it about Natsu?" he asked with knowing eyes. Eyes that told Lucy it was useless to lie.

Thus, the blonde sighed heavily and nodded. "How did you know?"

"Spirits are able to watch this world however we please. Under Karen's orders, I watched over you the moment you arrived in Earthland. I've seen how you two interact and I know how you feel about him."

"Way to go invading my privacy," Lucy stated with a huff, crossing her arms.

Loke chuckled and replied, "Sorry, Princess. Let me guess, since you almost died, you regret not telling him about how you feel?"

"You know, for only knowing me for a day, you know me so well."

"Why don't you just tell him now then?"

Lucy frowned and fumbled with the thick blanket that laid over her. "I can't."

The spirit frowned as well and asked, "Why not?"

"You know about the book, right?" Seeing Loke nod, Lucy breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she didn't have to explain the whole ordeal again. "Natsu is in the book. He is supposed to be Flynn Rider from Rapunzel and he's supposed to marry her. Every character in this book is real. Natsu is meant to be with whoever Rapunzel is. There's no way I could do that to her, even if I don't know her."

"So you're going to sit here and be sad instead?"

"If it means keeping Natsu and whoever Rapunzel is happy, then yes. I was never Natsu's ending, and a relationship with him probably isn't mine. I have my own happy ending and I need to find it. Maybe then it'll help me move on."

"Do you really think you'll be able to?" Loke questioned.

Lucy frowned and answered, "Honestly, it doesn't seem like I can. But in all of the TV shows I watched, it seemed like that for all of the characters and they eventually moved on. Hopefully I can too. And if not, that's okay. Like I said, as long as he's happy, I'm happy."

"You don't seem happy."

"I will be. I promise. Now, I think I've kept Natsu and Happy worried to death long enough. Do you think you can get them for me?" Lucy asked with a kind smile.

Loke sighed, not happy with how their conversation ended but nodded regardless. With a smile, he replied, "Of course, Princess."

With that, the spirit was heading out the bedroom to find Natsu and Happy, who were passed out in another room down the hall. The two spent the first week sleeping at Lucy's bedside, but once they were sure that the girl was going to be alright, they moved to a different bedroom for comfort.

Loke frowned as he nudged the sleeping dragon slayer, who had drool dripping down his chin and onto the pillow, effectively soaking it. Natsu's eyes slowly opened in annoyance, along with Happy's, who the spirit woke up next.

"What is it?" Natsu questioned with a long yawn.

"I'm tired," Happy added.

Loke understood completely. The two didn't sleep much with Lucy in such a terrible state. Still, it was time for them to wake up.

"Lucy's awake," Loke answered. With that, the two's eyes shot open, forgetting their fatigue as they tried to race out the door. The spirit blocked their path, however, and narrowed his eyes at them. "I'm grateful for all of your help with Karen, but there is something I must say."

"Hurry up then!" Natsu replied irately. "I wanna see Lucy already."

Loke pushed his shades farther up the bridge of his nose. "I know that you two are aware of Lucy's identity. And I know exactly why both of you are keeping it a secret. As selfish as your reasons may be, I did the same just now. I didn't tell her."

"You didn't?" Happy asked.

"No. But I didn't do it for you two. I did it for Lucy. I fully believe you two should have told her the moment you knew."

"I know," Natsu replied sincerely, determination gleaming in his eyes. "Which is why we're going to tell her right now. No matter what happens."

Happy nodded and added, "Even if Lucy hates us for it, we're going to tell her. She deserves to know."

Loke sighed, frowning at the two. "Do not tell her right now."

"Huh?" the two asked in unison.

"Lucy is already under a lot of stress right now thanks to Karen's death, among other things as well. Not to mention her body isn't even fully healed yet. I don't think she would take it well finding out that her mother- who she searched for her whole life- is actually dead and that her father- who she also searched for- ended up being a villain. Then there will also be the shock from the fact that she's the Lost Princess and that she was born in this world. It's too much for her right now."

"When should we tell her then?" Natsu asked with a frown.

"I'm going to entrust that with you," Loke answered. "You two are the people she cares about most. She deserves to hear it from you. I'm going to trust that you will know when the time is right and that you will do it then. Because I am grateful for you two, I am rooting for you and will try to convince Lucy to forgive you two if she gets mad, which is a likely possibility. But this is only if you do it when the time comes. Should you stall or not tell her at all, I will not help your case when she finds out. And believe me, she will find out eventually. The truth always finds its way out."

"Thanks for the tip," Natsu muttered crossly, pushing past the spirit. "We'll take it from here."

Loke watched the two enter Lucy's room before sighing and disappearing into his own realm again. Whether the two made the right decision or not was up to them. He could only hope they kept Lucy in mind.

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like the secret is going to stay hidden a bit longer! :D Nalu reunion next chapter! And you'll find out what the next story is next chapter! Tbh, I am not a big fan of the next arc and almost scrapped it completely. But I wrote a battle scene that is my absolute favorite so far so I decided to keep it lol. And I need a story for the next FT character anyways haha! Any guesses as to what the story is? :D

 **Lunahartz:** The thought of doing that crossed my mind but I figured I already said it in the last chapter so I think it's okay. :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Shadow Joestar, ThayetJade, NaluPrincess, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, MasterGildarts, Alexa60765, Nalulove, Celestialwizzard.**


	48. Chapter 48

**AN:** Helloooo everyone! :D Who's ready for a nalu reunion and to find out what the next story is!? :D I have 65 chapters written for this story, how awesome is that? :D

* * *

Chapter 48

Funeral

Natsu and Happy took deep breaths before sliding into the room Lucy had been staying in for two weeks. Upon entrance, the two found their third musketeer sitting upright in bed, her golden hair disheveled and her cheeks a faint pink. Immediately assuming the worst, Natsu suppressed a growl and his urge to find Loke and beat the living daylights out of him.

"Natsu! Happy!" Lucy greeted ecstatically.

"Lucy!" Happy cried, flying into the girl's chest.

The blonde giggled and hugged the cat back as she replied, "Sorry for worrying you, Happy. I heard you flew all the way to Magnolia by yourself to save me. Thank you."

"It was my fault in the first place! I should've stopped you from using that spell!"

"If you did then we all would be dead right now. I'm fine, see? And it's thanks to you! I told you you're strong!"

Happy sniffled and grinned at the blonde, glad to see that she was alright. Natsu stepped by her bed, his arms crossed and his gaze hard, causing Lucy to fidget.

"H-Hi, Natsu," she greeted with an awkward chuckle.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Lucy?" Natsu asked, skipping all niceties. Now that he knew she was safe, he was going to nag the living hell out of her for worrying him. "Why would you use that spell knowing you can't handle it? You've only been using magic for a few months! You know your body can't handle that!"

"I know," Lucy replied quietly, ducking her face into Happy's fur. "But I couldn't let you and Happy die."

"We could've figured out another way!" Natsu shouted. "I could've hit her with a fireball or we could've ran away or something!"

"Oh yeah? Then why didn't you? Oh, that's right, because you were already doing something. I had no choice, Natsu. It was either I died or all three of us died. I'd rather die than let you two die!"

"You don't die for your friends, Lucy! You live for them! What about that stuff you said on Mt. Hakobe? You said that we die trying! How do you think Happy and I would've felt knowing that you gave your life for us? You think that would make us happy? You think that we would be relieved because we made it out alive? No way in hell would that've happened!"

"Well it should! Because that's why I did it! So that you guys can live and have more happy moments!"

"Well we wouldn't be happy without you!"

"You guys were just fine before I came along! You would've moved on eventually!"

"We were happy then, yeah, but now that we know you we can't live without you, Lucy! How would you feel if one of us did that for you?"

Lucy frowned and hugged Happy closer to her. She imagined one of them dying and immediately her heart began to ache. It wasn't something she ever wanted to happen.

"I would be sad," the blonde whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "Devastated."

"And that's exactly how we felt," Natsu replied, his voice cracking as he blinked back tears of his own. "We thought you were going to die, Lucy…"

"Aye… It was scary," Happy added.

Lucy grabbed Natsu's wrist and pulled him onto the bed beside her, wrapping one arm around him and the other around Happy. The three sat there in silence, their eyes leaking with fresh tears. Natsu wasn't exactly fond of crying in front of others but didn't mind in that moment, letting his feelings express themselves freely. Relief hit him like a brick knowing that Lucy was alright and all of his fears left his body with his tears.

"I'm sorry for worrying you two," Lucy stated with a sniffle. "I promise I won't do anything like that again."

"You better not," Natsu muttered, wiping away his tears.

"Aye," Happy added. "None of us are allowed to do anything like that again."

Lucy pulled away from the hug and scrubbed her face dry before questioning, "What do we do in that situation then?"

"We either find another way or we die together trying," Natsu answered immediately.

"Aye!" Happy cheered. "That sounds good to me!"

Lucy giggled and nodded. "If it works for you then it works for me too. Now when can I get out of bed and take a shower? And I really wanna start the next story too!"

"Not until you've recovered completely," Natsu answered. "Well, since you stink I guess you can shower."

"You jerk!" Lucy shouted, slapping the dragon slayer upside the head. The smile on her face betrayed her words, however. "What is the next story anyways?"

Happy extended his wings and flew to the other room. In a matter seconds, he was back, the book in his paws. Flipping through the thick book, the cat stopped on the next story.

"Snow White," he answered with an arched brow.

"Go ahead and read it, buddy. It'd be good to know where we're going next," Natsu suggested.

Happy nodded and cleared his throat before reading, "Once upon a time, there lived a princess with skin as fair as snow and hair as black as night; lips as red as an apple and eyes as bright as a star. Her kindness was known throughout the kingdom. Her name was Snow White.

"Snow was loved by most of her kingdom, but not by all. Six dwarves had disguised themselves as loving followers, who the Princess trusted immediately. Though, the dwarves were only interested in their own evil motives, which involved the Princess' powers. Eventually, Snow found out about the dwarves and banished them from her kingdom, only to be put under a sleeping curse."

"Another sleeping curse?" Natsu asked with a groan. "Talk about repetitive. People from your world aren't creative are they, Lucy?"

"I guess you could say that," the blonde replied. "I'm pretty sure Snow White was the first Disney movie though so if anything, whoever came up with Sleeping Beauty was the copycat. Keep going, Happy."

The cat nodded before reading, "Only one person had the ability to wake Snow White: Prince Ferdinand. Unfortunately for the both of them, the dwarves took him and locked him up. As time passed, Snow White's body began to rot, along with Prince Ferdinand's as he wasn't fed. The two died without ever being able to see each other again and the six dwarves took over the kingdom, bringing it to its destruction."

The three sat in silence before giving a collective sigh. As thrilling as it was risking their lives to help complete strangers, it sure was tiring, and their two week break didn't seem long enough. They needed a vacation. One where they could sip mimosas by the beach. That would've been nice.

"What was the story like back in your world, Lucy?" Happy questioned, placing the book on the nightstand.

Lucy put a finger to her chin in thought and answered, "To be honest, it's really old and it was boring. But I remember the important details. Snow White was the Princess and her stepmother was the Evil Queen. Snow White ran away to live with the _seven_ dwarves, not six, who treated her like family and definitely did not try to kill her. Then the Queen gave her a poisoned apple and she was cursed until the Prince saved her with true love's kiss."

"It sounds like we have to save Snow White and Ferdinand," Natsu stated, crossing his arms. His lips curved into a fanged grin as he added, "That means we get to fight the dwarves."

Lucy sighed and complained, "I don't want to fight anymore. I already almost died."

"Well don't do anything stupid this time then!"

"Shut up! Anyways, do you guys have a clue where to go?" Natsu frowned and shook his head, Happy doing the same. "You two are useless. Happy, give me the lacrima so I can call Mira. I wanna thank her and Laxus and we can ask Laxus if he knows where to go again."

Happy flew to the other room and back in seconds, handing the crystal to the blonde. Before she could do anything, however, Natsu snatched it away and narrowed his eyes at her.

"No more magic, remember?" he scolded before calling Mira. Within seconds, Mira's face was shining in the lacrima.

"Natsu? How's Lucy?" the woman questioned, her blue eyes widened with worry. "Is she okay? Makarov told me she would be fine but-"

"I'm fine, Mira," Lucy interrupted with a smile and facing the lacrima her way. "Just a little drained of energy. Thank you for the help. Oh, Laxus, too. Thank both of you!"

"Lucy! I'm so glad you're alright!" Mira exclaimed. "Laxus, come look! Lucy's safe!"

Laxus grunted before coming in view of the lacrima. As always, he wore a stony, annoyed expression.

"We're even now," the King stated. "Don't go calling any more favors."

Mira slapped his arm and scolded, "They can ask for anything since they saved me! So did you need anything or did you just want to thank us?"

"We actually need help figuring out where to go next," Lucy answered.

Happy retold the couple Snow White's story. Mira shook her head, telling the trio she had no idea while Laxus cupped his chin in thought.

"I think I know who you're looking for," the man stated gruffly. "There's only two princesses I can think of that went missing."

"Two?" Lucy questioned. Natsu and Happy tensed, knowing one of them happened to be her.

"Yeah. Let's just say one of them was found already though. The only one I can think of that's still missing is Chelia. She was recently taken by a group of mages codenamed the Oracion Seis. I think this happened about a year ago."

"A year ago? D-Do you think she's okay?"

"She's fine," Mira assured. "A sleeping curse preserves one's body for many years before they begin to rot. I was under the spell for a little longer."

"Where was Chelia taken from?" Natsu questioned.

"Clover Town," Laxus answered. "It's connected to Magnolia and other cities by train, but you guys are out near Shirotsume. Walking to Clover Town would be the quickest way."

"Yes! Thank Mavis!" Natsu cheered.

"You got lucky this time," Lucy muttered. "Thank you again, Mira, Laxus."

"No problem!" the other woman replied while her boyfriend stepped out of view. "We should get going now. Good luck, Lucy! You too, Natsu and Happy!"

With that, the lacrima dulled and Happy tucked it back into his knapsack. Now the three had an idea as to where to go next on their journey.

* * *

It took three whole days for Lucy to regain every bit of magical power that she lost. That meant three whole days of doing absolutely nothing but lay in bed with a protective dragon slayer and cat watching her every move every second of the day. If one of them had to use the bathroom or go get something, the other made sure to be on alert. Of what, Lucy wasn't sure, and as endearing as it was, it got annoying fast.

But now that Lucy's magical power was back, the girl hopped out of bed and shooed her friends away so she could do the one thing she'd been wanting to do since she woke up: bathe. She felt absolutely disgusting and couldn't wait to wash it all away. Stripping her clothes, the blonde realized that it didn't hurt to move even after such a big fight. Then again, it was over two weeks and a healer looked at her. She supposed that made sense.

After nearly an hour long bath- she made sure to take her time- Lucy reluctantly stepped out of the bathtub and got ready for the day. With a frown, the girl dried herself and picked up her outfit for the day: a simple black dress with lace at the hems. It was a fitting outfit for the day of Karen's funeral.

Lucy had learned about Karen's funeral when Hibiki stopped by two days ago. Natsu growled at him and watched his every move, apparently still mad at him for giving Lucy the idea of using Urano Metria. With a grumpy dragon slayer sitting in the corner, the two talked about Karen's death. Lucy apologized countless of times, knowing that Hibiki had once loved the woman, to which he would assure her he was alright, that Karen wasn't the woman he fell in love with anymore and that he knew it would happen when he gave her the spell. Still, it did nothing to calm the girl's guilt.

Lucy had no idea that she was going to be the reason for someone's death. No matter how evil Karen was, the girl didn't want to kill her. That was taking away someone's life. And there were people that cared for her, making it so much worse. Thus, when Hibiki announced they were going to have a funeral, the blonde made sure to let him know she would be attending to pay respects to the person Karen used to be.

Slipping on the black dress, Lucy frowned again at her reflection. Though the dress was pretty, it wasn't exactly her type. She wasn't into loose-fitting dresses, she liked tight ones better simply because they complimented her body. Since she was borrowing clothes, however, she couldn't be picky.

"You ready yet, Lucy?" Natsu asked, banging on the door. "You're taking too long."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm done now, idiot," the blonde replied. With a heavy sigh, she twisted the doorknob and left the bathroom.

Upon seeing Lucy, Natsus's jaw literally dropped and hung open. She was wearing a black dress with thick straps. It was slim against her waist but poofed towards the hips. It was his first time seeing her in a dress. It really drove home the fact that she really was a princess.

One that he was keeping away from her home.

"Y-Yo!" Natsu choked out, forcing himself to push away his guilt.

"Hi, Natsu," Lucy replied with a small smile. "Ready to go?"

"Duh. We've been waiting for you!"

"Well I'm ready now so let's go!"

The walk towards Hibiki's house took no time at all and Lucy's jaw dropped immediately at the sight. Last time she saw the house it was in ruins thanks to Loke. Now it was in perfect condition. Knocking twice on the door, the trio waited until Eve opened the door and greeted them with a kind smile before letting them inside.

"Miss Lucy!" the younger boy greeted, taking the blonde's hand and leading her to the center of the room where Ren pushed a couch for her to sit.

Lucy gawked as the three boys surrounded her and offered her treats and refreshments. They were so flirtatious, it was like they were completely new people! Natsu crossed his arms and growled from where he stood by Happy before stalking over and shoving each of the flirts away, sitting beside the blonde, who sighed in relief.

Hibiki chuckled watching their interaction before stating, "It's good to see you're still doing alright, Lucy."

"No thanks to you," Natsu muttered, Happy nodding in agreement.

Lucy nudged her two partners before replying, "Thank you, Hibiki. So… We're having a funeral for Karen, right?"

Immediately the boys' face grew solemn as they nodded.

"She may have changed, but she wasn't always like that," Hibiki stated. "We're holding the service for the person she used to be."

"That makes sense. Thank you for letting me come too. Even though I…"

"We don't blame you, Lucy," Hibiki assured with a gentle smile. "All you did was what we were too weak to do."

"I'm sorry I wasn't helpful," Eve chimed in.

"We should've been there to help," Ren added.

"It's okay. You guys had a connection with her. I'm sure I would've done the same had I been in that situation," Lucy replied.

The front door suddenly burst open, revealing Ichiya in a crisp black suit, void of wrinkles. "Men! It's time for the funeral!"

Lucy swallowed thickly, standing up from the couch. The trimens exited the house and she tried to follow but her feet were glued to the floor. How was she supposed to go to a funeral of someone she killed? She hoped it would ease her guilt but she just couldn't bring herself to move.

A warm hand encompassed hers and intertwined their fingers. Lucy glanced to find Natsu grinning at her to reassure her.

"C'mon, Lucy. They're waiting," he stated, gently tugging at her hand.

"Aye!" Happy added, flying up and grabbing the blonde's other hand with his paw.

Lucy smiled and allowed the two to lead the way out of the house, reminded that no matter what tough situation she was in, they would always be there for her. They would never turn their backs on her and they would never abandon her. They were there to stay and so was she.

The service was short but elegant. Karen's casket was carved from beautiful redwood and had an intricate design of white swirls and dots. Everyone took turns placing a white lily onto the casket. When it was Lucy's turn, the girl summoned Loke.

Immediately the spirit frowned and questioned, "Why did you summon me, Princess?"

"Because I know part of you misses her," Lucy answered. "She wasn't always evil. I'm sure you two had a decent relationship at first."

"We did," Loke replied nostalgically. Hibiki handed him a lily, which he put on the casket before following the rest.

Lucy grabbed another key and summoned Aries. The lamb seemed more reluctant but stayed for the service, even putting a flower over the casket. The two spirits stood together and silently wept for their deceased master.

Lucy then turned her attention back to the casket where Karen's body rested. Wincing at the thought, the blonde hastily put the flower down and joined Natsu and Happy. Guilt ebbed at her as each of the trimens gave their speeches, proof that at one time, Karen was a pure soul. A soul that she eradicated from the world.

Lucy knew that she had no choice that she had to kill Karen in order to save her friends. Still, she would allow herself to feel guilty that day. She would move on eventually but at that moment, she needed to mourn. Tears pricked her brown orbs but she blinked them back, not wanting to cry in front of everyone.

When the service was finally over, everyone went back to doing their own things. Loke and Aries went through their gates after reminding Lucy to make contracts with them soon. The trimens, along with Ichiya, went back to their house, and Lucy and her partners went back to the castle where their stuff was waiting.

"We should head out tomorrow," Lucy stated.

"Aye," Happy replied. "It'll take a few days to get to Clover Town."

"It wouldn't if there was a stupid train here," the blonde muttered, crossing her arms. "Anyways, I'm going to go to bed now. Goodnight, guys."

"Night, weirdo!" the two replied in unison.

Lucy got dressed into a set of pajamas and laid in bed. A small smile graced her face as her eyes began to droop closed. It was another tiring adventure, but it was another story completed. Another happy ending given.

* * *

 **AN:** The Wizard of Oz arc is finally over. :') The trimens will only make one more appearance next chapter and after that they are out of the story. :') And get ready for some fillers! :D Though some people may think fillers are the boring parts of the story, I can guarantee these ones won't be! :D

Got enough reviews last chapter so here's a sneak peek:

 _Lucy bit her lower lip as she clenched the hem of her sweater. Despite what the girl said, she already detested whoever was supposed to be Rapunzel. She was bitter and angry. After all of the time they spent together, none of it would truly mean anything once Rapunzel came into the picture. Natsu would forget about her and spend all of his time with Rapunzel, which made sense considering they were soulmates and all. And she would have no choice but to watch their happiness, hoping that her love would fade away over time._

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, ThayetJade, CupcakeGoddess22, crazydaisy-in-tha-house, MasterGildarts, Nalulove, Alexa60765, chocolatecatsconfusion, FlaminkoMage, Lunahartz, Arethelya, Soul Eater Maka, Physics Goddess, KitKat2648.** You are all super sweet. :')


	49. Chapter 49

**AN:** I actually had really bad writer's block for this story and didn't write for like a month but I've been on a role and have been writing nonstop for this story. Okay let's begin the fillers! :D

* * *

Chapter 49

Future Plans

The next morning, Lucy groaned as her two partners barged into her room, their excited- and not to mention loud- chatter filling her ears. She should have known that locking her door was a necessity around those two. Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to sleep any longer, the girl reluctantly threw herself out of bed and began getting ready for the day.

After kicking her friends out and getting dressed in a pink sweater, light-faded jeans, and knee-high brown boots, Lucy sighed to herself and left her room, her belongings stashed away in the bag Gray gave her. Natsu and Happy were waiting right outside the door, their stuff already packed as well.

"Morning, Luce!" Natsu greeted with his signature fanged grin.

"Morning," the blonde replied with a yawn. "I know we're in a rush, but let me make contracts with Loke and Aries first."

With a swish of Lucy's hand, Loke appeared in a bright glow. He wore his signature suit and shades despite how much they clashed. The spirit smirked and grabbed his owner's hand, bowing and placing a gentle kiss upon it.

"It's good to see you again, Princess," he teased, ignoring Natsu's menacing growl.

Lucy sighed and pulled her hand back. "You too, Loke. Shall we make a contract now or are you going to flirt some more?"

"I guess we can get down to business. I'll make things fast so you don't waste too much energy. You can summon me whenever and wherever you want. Should I need time off, I'll just ask."

"Thanks, Loke! That makes things a lot easier! Do you wanna be here while I summon Aries?"

Loke nodded and replied, "Sure, but I'll use my own power. You shouldn't use so much if you're going to be traveling again."

"Thanks. Open, Gate of the ram, Aries!" Lucy shouted, swishing the key.

In a bright light, though not as bright as when she summoned Loke, Aries appeared. An apology immediately rolled off the timid spirit's tongue as she bowed. Her body shook and her eyes were tightly shut. She was terrified.

"Aries? Are you okay?" Lucy questioned, reaching out to place a hand comfortingly on the spirit's shoulder.

Aries flinched and replied, "I'm sorry! I-I'm just a bit…"

Lucy smiled in understanding. "It's alright. I'm not like Karen. I would never hurt you. If you don't want to be touched, I won't touch you. I promise. I was just wondering if you wanted to make a contract with me. If not, I'll take you anywhere you want to go!"

"Y-You would do that for me?"

"Of course! I offer all of my spirits it! And they're allowed to change their minds at any time! But I can't take you where you want to go until after I finish the book. Sorry, I'm kinda on a time crunch."

"I-It's okay. I would love to be your spirit," Aries replied, a shy smile gracing her face. "My schedule is the same as Loke's, you can summon me whenever."

"Thank you, Aries!" Lucy exclaimed.

With a nod, Aries excused herself, Loke following shortly after. Lucy noted that her energy wasn't too drained, thanks to Loke using his own power. With that, the trio were on their way to their first stop.

* * *

"You're leaving already?" Hibiki questioned.

Lucy chuckled awkwardly after nudging Natsu's shoulder for his incessant growling. "Yep! We have to go to the new story now!"

"Who's in the new story?" Eve asked.

"In my world, she goes by Snow White. In this one, we don't know yet."

"I'm not going to wish you luck or anything," Ren stated, crossing his arms and keeping up with his tsundere act.

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "You three need to go out and find yourselves some girlfriends so you can stop flirting with girls you barely know."

Hibiki chuckled and replied, "Well thanks to you, we now have that option. Thank you, Lucy. And good luck on the rest of your journey."

With that, the trio of heroes were waving and finally leaving the secluded town. While following the yellow brick road, they noticed citizens creeping out of their homes, testing out their new freedom. Since the town was small, it took no time at all to make it to the outskirts. Without turning back, the three began their new journey.

* * *

"Natsu, I'm tired!" Lucy complained, tugging on the said boy's sleeve.

"Too bad," Natsu replied with a sigh. "Don't you think Snow White waited long enough?"

"Well I can't help her if I'm out of energy!"

"We just took a break three hours ago!"

"Exactly! _Three hours ago!"_

"You're so lazy!"

"And you're stubborn!"

"Well you both are annoying," Happy jibed. "But I'm with Lucy. I'm tired too."

"Fine," Natsu grunted.

Lucy cheered and plopped onto the dirt, glad that she wasn't wearing a skirt. Happy sat on her lap and retrieved water bottles from his knapsack, one for each of them. The three relaxed in a content silence, letting the cool air wash over them and bring comfort.

"So have you two ever been to Clover Town before?" Lucy questioned with a raised brow.

"Once," Natsu answered while Happy shook his head. "It was before I met Happy. I was just passing through, looking for Igneel."

"What's it like?" Happy asked.

The boy shrugged and answered, "I don't really remember too much about it. There's a lot of trees though. Which is why I went to look there in the first place. It wasn't ruined by the dwarves yet and the Princess was still just a kid."

"I still can't believe the dwarves are the bad guys here," Lucy stated. "My world got all of the important parts of stories wrong!"

"Hey, Lucy," Happy began, "do you ever miss your world?"

Natsu paused from drinking his water in order to study the blonde. Though he was glad the blonde was staying, it didn't change the fact that he felt a little guilty. Lucy lived on Earth her whole life, surely there was some special place in her heart for it, even if she wasn't born there. Which she still didn't know.

Which led Natsu to remember the fact that he was supposed to tell Lucy about her origins when the time was right. How was he supposed to know the right time to tell someone that their entire life was a lie? To him, it seemed like there was no right time. Still, he decided to listen to Loke considering it gave him extra time to avoid Lucy's wrath. Surely she was going to murder him when she found out.

"There really wasn't much for me to miss," Lucy mused, bringing Natsu out of his thoughts. With a frown, she continued, "I had no family, no friends. The only thing I had was a crappy job and a cramped apartment. But… I guess I do miss it a little bit. Not my world itself but some of the things from it."

"Like what?" Happy questioned.

"Well for one, the technology. Earthland has some good substitutions but I didn't grow up with these things so it's hard for me to get used to. I miss my favorite bookstore too. I'm sure there are just as great bookstores here though. I guess I just miss everything I knew."

"But you know a lot of stuff here too!"

"I know. But not as much as I knew there. It's just going to take time to get completely used to. And it doesn't help that we haven't been able to settle down anywhere to give me time. We've just been running around on life-threatening missions."

"You want to settle down somewhere?" Natsu questioned, his stomach churning uncomfortably. He wasn't used to settling down and he didn't think they were going to. Though he didn't really think about it, he assumed they would be travelling together to find Igneel.

Lucy noticed the boy tense and arched a brow, answering, "Well yeah, eventually. I'm not going to be young forever, I can't keep running around. I want to settle down, buy a house someday, and get a job."

"But what about staying with us?" Natsu asked with a frown.

Lucy frowned as well and averted her eyes as she answered, "Well I meant I would do that after we found Rapunzel. She's your true love so I can't stay with you forever. We can still hang out and everything, but we can't live together or anything obviously."

"Screw Rapunzel! We're not separating!" Natsu replied. Of course, he knew that Lucy was actually Rapunzel, but she didn't. And he couldn't quite tell her that at the moment.

Lucy smiled weakly and replied, "You say that now but once you meet her, it'll be love at first sight. Don't worry about me. I'm happy for you! And I'm sure Rapunzel is a nice girl. I'm just angry this book didn't tell me about my soulmate too!"

And with that, all three were frowning. Happy constantly switched his gaze between the other two. It would've been so much simpler if they had told Lucy from the start about her identity. Unless she freaked out and ran away. After all, they weren't exactly close when they first met.

Lucy bit her lower lip as she clenched the hem of her sweater. Despite what the girl said, she already detested whoever was supposed to be Rapunzel. She was bitter and angry. After all of the time they spent together, none of it would truly mean anything once Rapunzel came into the picture. Natsu would forget about her and spend all of his time with her, which made sense considering they were soulmates and all. And she would have no choice but to watch their happiness, hoping that her love would fade away over time.

" _Maybe… Maybe I shouldn't stay with them,"_ Lucy thought, tears pricking her eyes. " _It would only hurt more to separate with them after."_

Shaking her head, Lucy rid herself of the idea. Despite how much it would hurt, she would stay with the two through thick and thin. They were her best friends and she wanted to spend every fleeting moment she could with them, even if another girl was going to come along some day and take her place.

"Do you two ever want to settle down?" Lucy finally questioned after making sure she wouldn't cry.

Natsu frowned and crossed his arms. "Never really thought about it. I just thought about finding Igneel."

"What about afterwards?"

"I guess."

"I think it would be fun," Lucy stated with a smile. "If I find a job and save up enough money, I can buy my own house and decorate it how I want."

"And we'd be there to mess with you," Natsu replied with a mischievous grin.

"Aye!" Happy added. "Your house could be my storage place for fish!"

"Keep a fish in my house and I'll shave your fur off," Lucy threatened. "You two would get your own house!"

"That's no fun," Natsu pouted. "We already practically live together."

"I guess that's true," the blonde mused. "But don't you have dreams for your own home?"

Natsu shrugged and answered, "Home is where your friends are. As long as you, Happy, and Igneel are there, I'll be happy."

"You expect me to fit a dragon in my house?"

"If you get a big enough house!"

"I'd have to rob a bank to be able to afford a house big enough to fit a dragon!"

"Well…" Natsu drew out with a smirk.

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "No. We aren't robbing a bank." She smiled and got up, stretching her body. "Alright, I think I've had a long enough break now. Let's get going."

"Aye!" Happy cheered while Natsu simply nodded.

And with that, the three were resuming their journey.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the first filler! This one wasn't too interesting but they get better I promise! :D There were enough reviews again so here is another sneak peek! :D

 _"I don't give a shit who you are," Natsu seethed, heat rolling off of him in waves. "You could be Mavis herself for all that matters and I will still turn you to ashes before I let you put Lucy in danger."_

 _"I'm telling you, I know how to train her without putting her in danger."_

 _"And I'm telling you I don't care. You aren't doing it."_

 _Lucy and Happy swallowed thickly, noticing the palpable anger radiating from their other partner. Loke was trying to be nice but it was clear he was losing his patience as well. If they didn't do something soon, there was going to be another fight between the two. And sure enough..._

 _"Why don't you go back through your gate before I send you there myself," Natsu ordered, his fists enveloped in flames._

Hope you liked the sneak peek! :D

Thanks to the people that reviewed: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, CupcakeGoddess22, Shadow Joestar, jojrre, MasterGildarts, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, KitKat2648, Sblackw, ThayetJade, Alexa60765, NaluPrincess, Nalulove, FlaminkoMage, crazydaisy-in-tha-house.**


	50. Chapter 50

**AN:** Oops updating a lil late in the day bc I can never keep track of what day it is during the summer my bad lol.

* * *

Chapter 50

Training

A shiver ran down Lucy's spine as she and her two partners traveled through the thick forest that seemed to be their home with how much time they spent in it. From the moment of Lucy's arrival in Earthland, it seemed like every story seemed to occur somewhere in the East Forest, save for Erza's. And though it was nice at first to be able to see such wonderful scenery, it was starting to irk the blonde.

She was tired of seeing trees, rocks, and the occasional lake. The girl wanted to be in a city. A city that wasn't being torn to ruins thanks to an evil ruler. A city that had a plethora of restaurants and shops. A city where she could escape the sea of green that she had been in for months. Not having a choice on the matter, however, Lucy simply muttered under her breath as she followed closely behind Natsu and Happy.

It was nearing one o'clock in the afternoon- though none of them knew that since they didn't have a way to keep track of time- and the trio had been travelling for three hours. Usually Natsu was strict on how many breaks they took, but after Lucy's near-death situation, he became more flexible, still not fully convinced the girl was completely fine yet, despite her assurance.

Clover Town was definitely a far place to walk to. It was a bit farther from their current location than Magnolia. If they were in Magnolia, it would have taken half a day to get there considering the railroads connected the two towns. In the East Forest, however, train stations were nowhere to be found considering there were too many trees in the way.

So, the group had roughly two and a half more days of walking. The prior night, they had passed by Shirotsume, knowing better than to take another pit-stop with their time crunch. Their sheer distance was reason enough to haul ass to Clover Town, not to mention the two weeks Lucy spent unconscious. Who knows how Snow White was doing by then?

Soon enough they would be able to see Mt. Hakobe, where Gray and Juvia resided. They definitely wouldn't be climbing up for a friendly visit, but it was nice to see the mountain at least as they passed by. Well, for Lucy and Happy it was. Natsu couldn't have cared less, especially with the ice-mage's threat from their last encounter.

Which reminded Natsu of his predicament. Slowing down, the boy let Lucy walk in front of him. She didn't notice his pace change, instead too busy muttering to herself. With a frown glued to his face and arms crossed over his chest, the dragon slayer studied his newest companion.

Just how long did Lucy need until she was better from killing Karen? How long should he wait before he could tell the girl the secret he had been hiding since day one? Loke instructed him not to do it yet for her mental state and he agreed, but leaving the decision entirely up to him was too much. How was he supposed to know the right time?

As if sensing Natsu's distress, Loke appeared in a golden light, causing the three to stop in their tracks.

"Loke?" Lucy questioned. "What are you doing here?"

The spirit smirked and grabbed his owner's hand while answering, "I'm here to be graced with your beauty, Princess. Oh how the stars sparkle in your eyes-"

"Alright, alright," the blonde sighed. "What are you _really_ here for?"

Loke smiled and answered, "I'm here to train you."

"To train me?"

"Yep. I know that you are headed to Clover Town to rescue the missing Princess. You're making great progress in your magic. You've only been in Earthland for a couple months- conscious, at least. You can already summon two spirits, forcibly close our gates, and Virgo, Aquarius, and I are able to pass through our gates on our own will. I am always able to do that, but for them to be able to means they have a strong master. Which is what you are."

Lucy flushed in modesty from the compliments. To think that someone was complimenting her strength was surprising. Especially when that someone was leader of the zodiac.

"Thank you," the blonde stated with a smile.

Loke mirrored the expression and replied, "Don't thank me, Lucy. Thank yourself." Then his smile turned into a frown as he continued, "But as great as your progress is- and it really is great, Lucy, only Anna Heartfilia showed such progress- it isn't enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Though you can summon two spirits, you can't do much else afterwards. You can barely stand, even. You need to meditate and practice on controlling your energy. Eventually, you'll be able to summon two spirits without losing so much magical power."

"I guess that makes sense. I mean, I would like to fight with my spirits."

"Good. But that's not all."

"What else are you trying to have Lucy do?" Happy questioned with a worried frown. "That already sounds like a lot."

"I know," Loke replied, petting the cat. "But it's for Lucy's sake. Lucy, you need to go up against six people to rescue the missing Princess, correct?"

"Yeah," the blonde answered. "Well, in the story they're dwarves. But I doubt they're dwarves here."

"Well, there are three of you, one of which isn't capable of fighting. Did you ever think about how you were going to defeat them?"

With an awkward chuckle, Lucy answered, "I guess I didn't."

"Exactly," Loke replied, tustling the blonde's hair. "Which is why I want to train you to use Urano Metria."

Lucy visibly cringed hearing the name of the spell while Happy stared at her in worry. No longer staying silent, Natsu stepped in between the girl and her spirit.

"No," he stated simply, his voice just daring Loke to say otherwise. "Lucy isn't practicing that spell. She almost _died_ doing it the first time and you want her to do it again? There's no way in hell I'll allow that."

"No offense, Natsu, but being her strongest spirit, I think I know what Lucy can handle," Loke replied, pushing his shades farther up the bridge of his nose. "The reason the spell almost killed her last time was because she did it after simultaneously summoning two spirits for the first time. Though I'm glad Lucy's alright, I'm surprised she lived simply because I know how the spell works. And I know just how strong it can be when safely casted."

"I don't give a shit who you are," Natsu seethed, heat rolling off of him in waves. "You could be Mavis herself for all that matters and I will still turn you to ashes before I let you put Lucy in danger."

"I'm telling you, I know how to train her without putting her in danger."

"And I'm telling you I don't care. You aren't doing it."

Lucy and Happy swallowed thickly, noticing the palpable anger radiating from their other partner. Loke was trying to be nice but it was clear he was losing his patience as well. If they didn't do something soon, there was going to be another fight between the two. And sure enough…

"Why don't you go back through your gate before I send you there myself," Natsu ordered, his fists enveloped in flames.

Loke's own fists glowed with light as he replied, "You may have beaten me when I was with Karen, but I'm much stronger now as Lucy's spirit. Her strength gives me more power."

"Oh yeah? Let's fight and test it out then."

"A-Alright, alright," Lucy said with a sigh, stepping in betweent the angry boys. "How about you put your male pride to the side right now and let the sane person speak, hmm?" The two boys crossed their arms with a grunt, prompting the blonde to continue. "I know both of you are looking out for me and I really appreciate it. But _I'll_ decide what I do, not you two."

"Aye," Happy agreed. "I think Lucy would know her limits best!"

"Thanks, Happy. Natsu, I know you're worried about me from what happened last time I used Urano Metria. Honestly, I'm a little scared thinking about it. But you said so yourself that we have to find other ways to live. This may be that option. If this spell is strong enough to keep me alive, then it's worth a shot trying it again, especially now that I know my limits."

"But what if it happens again?" Natsu questioned almost desperately. "You might not make it next time, Lucy!"

"And I'm telling you there won't be a next time. I already promised you I won't push myself too much and I plan on keeping that promise. I'm here with you and I plan on staying. I'm not going to let some spell change that."

"…Are you sure you can handle it?"

"If Loke thinks I am, then I trust him. Do _you_ think I can?"

"Of course I think you're strong enough for the spell," Natsu answered with a huff. "I'm just scared you're going to overdo it."

"I know," Lucy replied with a smile. "I won't, Natsu. I promise. And if we're going to be going against six people on our own, I think I should definitely get stronger."

With a reluctant sigh, Natsu nodded. "Fine. I guess we'll train."

"Finally," Loke muttered. "We need to find a clearing."

After following Loke for about five minutes in hopes of finding a big enough clearing to train, the group finally came across a decent sized clearing with tall blades of grass and a small pond. Natsu and Happy sat by the water to give the other two some space.

"So what's first?" Lucy questioned with a determined grin, planting her hands on her hips.

Loke smirked and answered, "We're gonna dive right into the hard stuff. I want you to first be able to summon two spirits without wasting all of your energy."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"Meditating. It's the best way to concentrate and build up magical power. But because we're short on time, we're going to do things the harder way."

"The harder way better not be dangerous," Natsu warned, narrowing his eyes at the spirit.

Loke scoffed and replied, "Of course not. Well, not anymore, at least. It'll just be a nuisance if anything."

"So what is the hard way anyways?" Lucy asked.

"You have three strong spirits, stronger than the rest: me, Virgo, and Aquarius. Taurus isn't too far behind. If we had time, I would've started you off with one of us and then Plue, or any other silver key. But instead, we're going to have you summon two of your strongest."

"Is that a good idea? I mean, I guess it makes sense. Back in my world, a lot of people learn how to park using a big car. It's a lot harder, but once they get the hang of it, they can park any car they want after."

"Exactly. You've already proven that you can handle it, so your life won't be in any risk at all. The only problem is that you won't be able to do much of anything for the rest of the day. You'll have to set up camp for the night, or have Natsu and Happy carry you the rest of the way."

"Lucy's too heavy for that!" Happy jibed, snickering behind his paws. "We'll just set up camp!"

"I'm going to summon Cancer so that he can shave you bald," Lucy warned.

Loke chuckled and replied, "I would usually allow it, but right now you have to summon other spirits. I'm here on my own will, so you will summon Virgo and Aquarius."

"Aquarius, huh? She never is the happiest one of the bunch to see me."

"That's just her act. Well, mostly. Part of it is because you don't have her boyfriend's key. Anyways, let's get started already."

Lucy nodded before retrieving Virgo's key from the loop, summoning the spirit in an instant. Immediately the maid bowed and asked if it was time for punishment, to which the blonde denied. With a churning stomach, the girl then kneeled beside her partners by the pond and summoned the last spirit.

And just as Lucy expected, the water in the pond rose as Aquarius was summoned and drenched the entire group, not even sparing Loke, the leader of the zodiac. The blonde's vision was blurry from the water that got in them and she had to cough out some of the water that got into her mouth.

"That's so gross!" Lucy whined. "That water wasn't clean!"

"Yeah, and you summoned me from it!" Aquarius retorted, her tone menacing. "What's next, huh? A toilet?"

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry!"

"You look lovely as always, Aquarius," Loke stated, wringing out his tie. "And just as aggressive too."

"You had me summoned when I was on a date," the mermaid informed him. "You're lucky this is all I did to you, cat."

"You're right. Now, let's get training, shall we?"

With a grunt, Aquarius nodded and turned her gaze to Lucy, who was breathing heavily, and not because of the water that splashed her earlier. The girl's eyes were half lidded, threatening to close for good. Scoffing, the mermaid moved to stand by her owner.

"Don't go to sleep, brat," she instructed. "Sleeping isn't going to get you stronger."

"I know," Lucy replied, her voice quiet and breathy. "But this is exhausting."

"You're doing fine. You just have to stay awake."

"Did you just compliment me?"

"Don't make me drown you, kid."

Lucy smiled before leaning onto Natsu's side. A cool breeze washed over them, causing a shiver to run down her spine since she was soaking wet. Natsu smiled in amusement before igniting himself in a harmless fire to dry them all up and to keep the girl warm.

Loke watched over Lucy intently, studying her reactions. As expected, over half of her energy was drained and she looked like she could pass out at any moment.

" _Still,"_ the spirit thought, cupping his chin. " _This isn't anything like the time she used Urano Metria. To think that she actually survived that is astonishing. The amount of power it took to do that… Maybe Lucy can actually summon the Spirit King himself one day. The last person to be able to do that was Anna."_

Aquarius and Virgo nodded at Loke, as if reading his mind. All three of them- no, the entire Celestial Spirit World- was aware of Lucy's potential. Her strength caught everyone's attention the moment she showed up in Earthland. Her mother, Layla, was impressive, but Lucy already showed signs of being stronger. Perhaps Lucy could be the next Anna. She was definitely on the right track.

"Congrats, Lucy!" Loke cheered, ruffling his owner's hair. "You made it a whole half hour with Aquarius and Virgo out! You're definitely improving."

"Thank you," Lucy replied sleepily.

Aquarius scoffed and stated, "I'm going back now. Don't even think about summoning me in dirty water again, brat."

"I will be leaving as well, Princess," Virgo added.

"Okay. Thanks, you guys," Lucy replied, waving them off. "What about you, Loke?"

The boy smirked and answered, "I guess I'll go back too so that you can rest. We'll do this again tomorrow night and we'll keep doing it until I think you can handle using Urano Metria. Then we'll get you to master that spell."

"Sounds good to me. Bye, Loke."

With that said, the spirit was gone with a wave and his signature flash of light. Natsu was a bit disappointed with how early it was in the day to set up camp but prepared for the night regardless. As much as he hated to admit, Loke had a point. Training Lucy would be beneficial.

"I'm tired," Lucy murmured, extending her legs out. Readjusting herself, the girl laid her head on Natsu's lap, too tired to notice the problems with it. In a matter of seconds, her eyes closed and it became apparent they weren't going to open again for the rest of the day with her heavy breathing.

Natsu swallowed thickly, unable to help but notice how dangerously closer Lucy's face was to his… _manly region._ It took every fiber of his being to keep from getting hard, giving deep breaths to calm his erratic heart.

Happy snickered, more than aware of the two feelings for each other, though he didn't know that they themselves were aware of it as well. Well, now he was starting to see Natsu's awareness. Reaching into Lucy's backpack, he retrieved her blanket and threw it over them.

"So you and Lucy, hmm?" Happy purred in amusement.

"Not this again," Natsu groaned, careful to stay still so as to not wake up the blonde sleeping in his lap.

Happy snickered and replied, "I never thought you would be the first to stop being so blind about it!"

"Alright, alright. You were right. And looks like the stupid book was right too."

"She really is Rapunzel then."

"Yep. But she obviously doesn't know that. Which means she doesn't know that we are supposed to fall in love and all that crap. Which also means that she doesn't feel the same."

"Yet. There's still time," Happy reminded.

"I guess you're right," Natsu replied with a grin. "How would you feel if Lucy and I actually did all the stuff our story from her world says?"

Happy frowned in thought. Obviously their relationship meant spending less time with Natsu. It had always been just the two of them from the start, but the addition of Lucy only made things more fun.

"I think it would be great!" Happy answered with a face-splitting grin.

"Really?" Natsu asked, a bit skeptical.

"Aye! But… I guess I'm kinda jealous."

"Of Lucy?"

"No, of you."

"Me?" Natsu questioned, arching a brow.

"Aye," Happy answered with a nod. "Why don't exceeds get any stories where they fall in love?"

"You're interested in that stuff?"

"Aye! But it looks like only humans get to find love in the book."

"Oi! You never know! One of these stories could have the future Mrs. Happy!"

"You think so?" the cat questioned, perking up a bit.

"Definitely," Natsu answered with a grin. "And if it doesn't, we'll just have to find her ourselves then!"

"You'd help me?"

"Of course! You're my partner! You always helped me look for Igneel, I'm always going to be there for you to return the favor!"

"Thanks, Natsu."

"Don't mention it."

With that, Happy began to doze off to sleep as well, regardless of how early it was, leaving Natsu alone with his thoughts. And as always, his thoughts always revolved around Lucy. With a smile plastered to the boy's face, he brought his fingers to the sleeping girl's face and gently brushed some of her golden hair out of her face.

So she didn't feel the same towards him yet. That didn't matter. Simply being around Lucy was enough for him. Besides, just as Happy said, they had plenty of time, especially since he planned on spending the rest of his life with her.

* * *

 **AN:** What do you guys think of the chapter? :D BIG stuff next chapter so stick around and leave a lovely review in the meantime! ;D

Thank you to the reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Shadow Joestar, CupcakeGoddess22, MasterGildarts, HollyDragneel, Lunahartz, ThayetJade, KitKat2648, Guest, ToukaKanekiUlle, Flire and Ice, Alexa60765, Crazymagic16, An Amber Pen.**


	51. Chapter 51

**AN:** Big stuff this chapter and I'm kinda nervous to see how you all will react. :O

* * *

Chapter 51

Pleasant Surprise

Lucy's eyes slowly began to flutter open the next morning as a loud yawn escaped her mouth. Her body definitely felt better from her exhausting training the night before. No longer did her legs feel like jelly or her head feel like lead. Not wanting to get up just yet, the girl rolled over, only to be face-to-face with a sleeping Natsu.

Lucy contained a gasp as she studied the boy's face. His mouth was partly opened and he seemed so at peace. A small smile etched itself onto the blonde's face.

" _I wouldn't mind waking up to this every day,"_ she thought fondly.

Just then, two onyx eyes opened and a wide grin appeared on Natsu's face. Lucy squealed and sat up immediately, scooting herself away.

"Morning, Luce!" Natsu greeted with a yawn. "Ready to go?"

"A-Already?" the blonde questioned, ignoring her rapid heartbeat.

"Aye!" Happy answered for the boy. "We spent a lot of time sleeping last night. If we wanna get to Clover Town soon, we should travel during the day and have you train right before bed!"

"I guess that makes sense."

With that, the group was clearing their make-shift camp, packing their stuff and resuming their journey. They still had plenty of time before they reached Clover Town, giving Lucy time to improve and train. She had complete confidence in herself. If her spirits believed in her, then she would believe in herself too.

And that was exactly how the next two days transpired. Every morning Lucy and her partners would walk as far as they could until the sun was replaced with the moon. Then Lucy would summon Aquarius and Virgo while Loke watched. Afterwards, she would pass out from exhaustion.

Though it was tiring, the results were astonishing. The first night of training, Lucy nearly passed out having both Aquarius and Virgo out for a half hour. By the third night, the girl was able to keep them out closer to an hour. Not to mention the fact that she could actually remain standing afterwards.

Lucy wondered why she was able to get the hang of things so quickly. After all, magic was never a part of her life for twenty years. She had only dabbled in it for a few months and was already doing things that apparently other celestial mages that had trained longer than her were not yet capable of. Why did celestial magic come so naturally to her?

Lucy recalled the day she first met Erza and Jellal. Jellal seemed so surprised that she was able to force Taurus' gate closed. Now she could summon two spirits without feeling completely drained, which was something celestial mages took years training to master.

Why was she different?

" _It's probably because I'm the savior,"_ Lucy figured with a shrug. Whatever the reason was, the girl was glad. It allowed her to be able to help her friends, there was no need to question it.

* * *

When it grew too dark to continue their journey, the group found another clearing, this one not nearly as big as the last. Happy and Natsu gathered sticks to create a campfire, which the latter eagerly created.

Right on time, Loke appeared in a bright glow and his usual suit. Even in the darkest of nights he was still wearing his shades.

"Hello, Lucy. I'm going to make this quick. Aquarius has a date and Virgo and I think you deserve a night to rest. We think you've improved enough on magical consumption, but we will return to it at a later time. For now, you can rest tonight and tomorrow I'll start training you to use Urano Metria," the spirit stated.

"Will I have it mastered in time?" Lucy questioned worriedly.

"Not completely, no. It would take months to fully master it. But you will be able to use it and keep one spirit summoned. No more than that, got it?"

"Got it. But will the spell even be good enough if it's not mastered?"

"Urano Metria is the ultimate spell of the stars. Just being able to use it, mastered or not, will be powerful. The only problem is that you won't be able to control who it hurts. Meaning that Natsu and Happy shouldn't be with you when you use it."

"Thanks for letting me know. Did you wanna stay out here for a bit?" Lucy questioned, gesturing towards the campfire. "You can stay with us if you want!"

Loke smiled at the offer but answered, "No thanks. Aquarius isn't the only one with a date tonight."

Lucy smirked and asked, "Is it with a certain pinkette?"

Loke smirked as well as he leaned in to whisper, "I'm not the only one that's fallen for a pinkette, am I?" The boy laughed as Lucy slapped his arm, her cheeks rosy. "Anyways, I'll be going now! Goodnight, Lucy! You guys, too!"

Natsu and Happy waved to the spirit before he left, hearts practically shining in his eyes. Lucy smiled, glad that Loke and Aries were able to enjoy themselves now.

Happy yawned as he set up his makeshift bed. "I think I'm going to go to bed then."

"Already?" Natsu asked.

"Aye. I flew too much today and now I'm tired."

"That's because you were too lazy to walk," Lucy reminded him.

"Oh well," Happy replied with a yawn. "Night."

"Night," the other two replied in unison.

In minutes, the exceed was passed out and drooling. Lucy and Natsu chuckled quietly, careful not to wake the cat up. Lucy plopped beside the dragon slayer, enjoying the heat of the campfire.

"Is it weird that I actually wanted to train tonight?" the blonde questioned.

"Well, even though you are a weirdo, I don't think that's weird at all," Natsu answered, cackling when the girl nudged him. "I feel the same. I always want to train so that I can protect what matters to me."

"Oh yeah? And what is that?"

"Happy, obviously."

"Is that it?"

"Duh."

"I think you're forgetting someone important."

"Alright, fine. You too. Happy now?" Natsu asked.

"Yep," Lucy answered with a grin.

The two sat in front of the fire in a comfortable silence, their hearts light and full of joy. To think that simply sitting by each other would make them so happy surprised them.

"You know, I think meditating and all is important, but I think learning to fight is even more important," Natsu stated, a mischievous grin gracing his face. "And you and I never got the chance to spar."

"You want me to fight you?" Lucy asked incredulously. "No way. You'll just burn my clothes off and make fun of how weak I am."

"That's not true!" the boy denied. "You aren't weak!"

"Weaker than you."

"Well, yeah. You don't have enough experience. C'mon, it'll be fun! Let's do it!" Natsu exclaimed.

"No way," Lucy replied, shaking her head.

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Luuucy! C'mon!"

"I can't summon a spirit anyways. They want me to rest."

"Then use your whip! We can just fight without magic!"

Lucy sighed and reluctantly replied, "Fine. But only for a little bit! And you better not go too hard on me!"

"Duh. I would never hurt you, Luce!" Natsu replied, excitement shown in his features.

The two rose from their spot by the campfire and walked deeper into the clearing and father from Happy. Though he was usually a carefree cat, he could be quite grumpy when woken up too early.

The two were standing near the edge of the clearing. There was a small hill that led to more trees below. Natsu planted his feet firmly into the pine-covered soil, waiting with a fanged grin as Lucy tightened her side pony. He had never sparred against the blonde before and was more than eager to try.

"You ready?" the boy asked, not able to contain his excitement.

"As ready as I'll ever be," the girl answered with a sigh.

Natsu's grin grew wider as he lunged towards the blonde, ready to test out her abilities. Watching her train for the past few days allowed him to see just how strong his friend was, but he couldn't say that he fully agreed with Loke's methods. How was Lucy going to get stronger in fighting if she didn't fight?

Stopping just in front of Lucy, Natsu avoided a punch to the face by kneeling and sweeping his leg underneath hers. With a yelp, the girl fell back on her bum. Natsu cackled before a quick pain erupted in his shin where the blonde kicked him.

"You said you wouldn't make fun of me!" Lucy whined, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I'm not!" Natsu protested. "Why is it your kicks are so strong?"

Lucy shrugged before lunging towards the pinkette in an attempt to catch him off guard. She threw punch after punch, most of which were dodged while some were blocked by Natsu's palm. Clearly they weren't affecting him too much.

Natsu smirked, able to see every attack with ease. Lucy was strong, especially in regards to controlling her magic. He had a feeling that there was more magic welled inside her, more potential inside of her than perhaps he had in himself. But she was lacking in strength and speed. Especially speed.

Catching Lucy's fist, Natsu swept his feet underneath her once more, amused with the glare she sent his way. Immediately she was on her feet again and the two were sparring- Lucy throwing punches that Natsu avoided.

Losing patience, Lucy retrieved her whip from her side and cracked it towards Natsu, who wasn't expecting it. Wrapping the weapon around the dragon slayer's ankle with ease, the girl mustered up her strength and flung him over the hill.

Natsu grinned while rolling down the hill, grabbing the whip and yanking Lucy with him. "If I'm going down, so are you!"

Lucy yelped as she was suddenly pulled forward faster than she flung Natsu due to his excessive strength. Bumping into him, Lucy shrieked as the two rolled down the hill. Natsu laughed the entire way down.

When they finally stopped rolling, Lucy released a giggle despite Natsu landing on top of her and slightly crushing her. Opening her eyes, the girl was face to face with the boy, who just opened his eyes as well. Natsu was laying right on top of Lucy, his legs outside of hers and their faces inches apart. Pink dusted their cheeks as they gazed into each other's eyes, their hearts pounding erratically in their chests.

Lucy swallowed thickly, her entire body flushing with heat despite the chill winter had to offer them. She could feel Natsu's warm breath fanning her face as he was pressed against her. Her arms laid numbly at her sides while her golden hair splayed around her like rays of sunlight. Glancing at Natsu's lips, butterflies swarmed around in her stomach.

Natsu was just as captivated by Lucy's pink and plump lips. Being so close to the girl, he noticed that her brown orbs had specks of gold in them as well. His breathing was choppy, his nerves on edge. Just a few days ago he was telling himself he had all the time in the world, but with Lucy right in front of him in this position, he wasn't sure he could wait any longer.

Natsu had the greediness of a dragon with a giant hoard of gold. But instead of gold, he was greedy for Lucy. He wanted every touch, every glance, and every thought. He didn't want to share her with anyone, sometimes even getting jealous when Happy talked to her simply because _he_ wanted to talk to her.

But did Lucy want him as well? Would making a move on her destroy everything they had?

Natsu released a quiet sigh, about to get up when a faint sound filled his ears. He listened closely, soon realizing that it was Lucy's heartbeat. It was barely noticeable but he could hear it so long as he listened intently. And to his surprise, it was beating as frantically as his own.

Glancing towards Lucy, Natsu found that her brown orbs were staring directly at his lips. And though he wasn't the smartest boy in the world when it came to these sort of things- Igneel never did teach him how to read girl's emotions- he knew exactly what that meant. She wanted to kiss him.

 _Lucy_ wanted to kiss _him._

Before he could start to doubt himself, Natsu leaned towards the blonde, noticing her eyes grow wide while his drooped closed. He shivered feeling her warm breath fan his face before his lips slowly grazed over hers, capturing them in a kiss and closing the gap between them. At first Lucy was unresponsive and tense, but in seconds he could feel her body relax underneath his as she shyly pushed her lips forward.

Natsu tilted his head to the side to deepen the kiss, enjoying the sweet flavor Lucy's lips had to offer. They tasted sweeter than he expected, like a vanilla cupcake. He tugged on her bottom lip, a soft growl escaping his mouth as her tongue grazed his upper lip before it creeped inside of his mouth. His eyes shot wide open in surprise, not expecting it at all. But soon enough, he let them droop closed once more as their tongues met.

Lucy shivered from the contact. She had never been kissed before and so far, her kiss with Natsu exceeded all of her expectations. Finally able to move her arms, the girl wrapped them around Natsu's neck, gently pulling him closer to deepen the kiss. All she wanted was to be closer, even if they were already pressed against each other.

Lucy's heart swelled with joy. She was kissing Natsu, the one she was in love with. The one that promised her a happy ending. The one she trusted with her life. No matter what happened to them in the future, she wasn't going to let it dampen her spirits.

Finally pulling away, the two caught their breaths, panting as they stared into each other's eyes. Their faces were flushed with heat as they panted for air. Lucy would be lying if she said she didn't want to pull Natsu right back down for another round. She would also be lying if she said she didn't feel a certain poke on her thigh.

"W-What was that for?" Lucy questioned, her voice just a whisper.

"Umm… Training?" Natsu answered weakly.

"Training, huh? And what exactly is that supposed to help me with?"

"You know, if you're in a hostage situation with some perv and need to escape! Just do that to him and then knock him senseless!"

"You're ridiculous if you think I would believe that."

"Whatever," Natsu muttered, embarrassedly averting his gaze. "Don't act like you didn't feel the same."

"I-I didn't!" Lucy lied.

"Sure you didn't. I could hear your heartbeat. And you were staring at my lips."

"Was not!"

"Was too! And you kissed me back!"

"F-Fine," Lucy muttered with a huff. Shyly lifting her gaze, the girl stared into Natsu's eyes once again before darting for his lips. Every part of her wanted to plant her lips on him again, but knew that they should take whatever this was slowly. She didn't want to ruin what they had.

Thus, Lucy gently pushed Natsu off of her and rose to her feet, brushing away dirt and pine needles. Stretching her hand towards the boy, she helped him to his feet and gave him a quick smile.

"We better head back before Happy wakes up and realizes we aren't there," she stated.

"I guess that makes sense," Natsu replied, though he wanted to spend more time kissing her.

With light hearts, the two traveled back to the campsite where Happy was still snoozing by the fire, their fingers intertwined the entire way.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm very worried about the kiss scene lol. Was it good? Was it rushed? I NEED FEEDBACK HAHA. Let me know how you felt about it. :') Got enough reviews so here's a sneak peek:

 _Lucy took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come. She was about to use Urano Metria, the spell that nearly killed her not even a month ago. Though the girl trusted Loke, she was still uneasy about using the spell. Still, it was something she needed to master in order to help others._

 _Lucy closed her eyes as she began to muster all of her magical power, feeling it swirl in the pit of her stomach. This part was easy, for it was like using a lacrima. She had long since learned how to channel magical power. However, it got tough when it came to keeping it within her while she began the incantation._

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, ThayetJade, CupcakeGoddess22, MasterGildarts, Crazymagic16, xSinfulDragonSlayer, Soul Eater Maka, ToukaKanekiUlle, Alexa60765, Mezatron, Lunahartz, HollyDragneel, Nalulove, FlaminkoMage, Physics Goddess, KitKat2648, Guest.**


	52. Chapter 52

**AN:** Hi everyone! Early update because I won't be able to post tomorrow because I'm moving the rest of my stuff! :') Next update will hopefully be on Monday as scheduled!

Alright, this is the last filler before the new arc! Also, I just started writing the last fairy tale. How sad. :')

* * *

Chapter 52

Last Day in the East Forest

The next morning found Lucy waking up surprisingly earlier than her two partners. Rolling onto her back, the girl recalled the events that transpired the night before. She and Natsu _kissed._ And it wasn't just a small peck; it was a nice, slow, passion-filled kiss. Glancing towards the boy, she found that he was splayed across the ground, his mouth open as drool poured out of it along with loud snores. How did she fall for someone like him?

Lucy smiled to herself. It was very easy to see how she could've fallen for Natsu. Despite how reckless and annoying the boy could be, he was surprisingly sweet and thoughtful. He made her laugh and made every day enjoyable. He made her once boring life an adventure. She trusted him with her life. After all, he did promise to give her a happy ending.

Unease settled in the pit of Lucy's stomach as she remembered that her happy ending wasn't supposed to involve Natsu considering his happy ending was Rapunzel. How could she kiss him knowing that he would one day leave her for Rapunzel? Should she just call whatever they had off now before things got too serious?

Lucy glanced towards Natsu again and shook her head. There was no way that she could lock away her feelings now, not when she already made it clear. When Rapunzel arrived, she would do the right thing and let the soulmates be. But until then, the girl was going to savor each moment with Natsu.

But what exactly was her relationship with the boy? Were they dating now? It was only a kiss but it meant something to Lucy. Did it mean something to Natsu? Or was he just caught up in the moment?

"Good morning, Lucy," a sudden voice greeted.

The said girl turned her head to find Happy sitting up, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "Oh. Morning, Happy!"

"How much longer do we have to walk?"

"Natsu said just one more day. We should be reaching Clover Town tomorrow afternoon."

"As long as you two don't keep stopping to take breaks," Natsu suddenly added.

Lucy sat still in shock, resisting the urge to face the dragon slayer. She could feel her cheeks warming up, even more so as she heard the boy walking towards her. Butterflies swarmed inside of her stomach.

"M-Morning, Natsu!" Lucy chirped, her voice embarrassingly high-pitched.

The other two arched a brow at the weird blonde.

"Morning," Natsu replied. "You ready to get going?"

"Aye!" Happy answered, already finished packing his things.

Lucy scrambled to quickly stuff her things into her backpack. When finished, the trio made their way towards Clover Town once again. As long as they kept up with their usual pace, they should reach town the next afternoon.

As Lucy walked, her eyes focused on Natsu, who was leading the way. Her eyes roamed his body, starting with his broad shoulders and down to his muscular arms. They weren't bulky like Laxus', but they were toned. And she had to say, she preferred them this way anyways. She was definitely liking what she was seeing.

Lucy's eyes then traveled down to gaze at Natsu's hand. She didn't forget the way they held hands the night before. She was surprised with how soft his hands were, before believing them to be roughed and calloused. The girl was right, however, about the warmth his hand had to offer. Resisting the urge to grab his hand, the blonde followed quietly with Happy in her arms.

* * *

When the trio finally called it good for the night, Natsu and Happy left the clearing to go find firewood. Lucy wasn't surprised when Loke showed up a second later, his typical shades adorning his face. The spirit inspected the small clearing they found for the night, nodding in approval.

"Alright, this should be big enough for what we have planned," Loke stated. "And you're still a decent distance away from the nearest town. Are you ready to practice, Lucy?"

"Yes!" the blonde answered eagerly. Though she was originally wary of learning the spell that nearly killed her, she was now looking forward to it. With the amount of enemies they were going against this time, she needed a strong spell.

"Good," Loke replied with an approving smile. "Do you remember the enchantments?"

"Not at all."

"That's okay, I can teach you."

The two then went over the necessary chant, breaking it apart each sentence so as to not accidentally cast the spell. They went over it multiple times until Lucy was able to remember each line and recite them three times in a row without messing up. During that time, Natsu and Happy had already returned, making a fire and watching the other two with curious gazes.

"Alright, let's try it for the first time," Loke stated. He had full confidence that his owner would be able to master Urano Metria someday. Not today considering it took months to master, but one day she would definitely get it down.

"Okay, I'm ready," Lucy replied, determination gleaming in her eyes.

Loke nodded and glanced at Natsu and Happy. "We need to get away from here. Since she doesn't have the spell mastered yet, she can't control who it affects."

Natsu nodded, grinning at Lucy. "You got this, Luce!"

"Aye!" Happy added. "You can do it!"

Lucy smiled fondly and nodded. "Thanks, guys."

Natsu and Happy ventured into the trees and out of sight, leaving Loke and Lucy to discuss the finer details of using the spell.

"Gather all of your magic in the pit of your stomach as you say the enchantment," Loke instructed. "When you get to the end, unleash all of it at once. You'll probably be drained of energy after the first attempt and you'll have to sleep it off."

"That's okay," Lucy replied with a smile. "I'm sure Natsu and Happy will make sure I sleep by the fire and they'll take care of me."

"Oh yeah?" Loke questioned with a knowing smirk. "You mean like how Natsu took care of you last night?"

Heat and color rose in Lucy's cheeks as she slapped the spirit's arm. "H-How did you know about that!?"

Loke chuckled before answering, "Like I always say, Lucy. We're always watching."

"That used to reassure me but now it just creeps me out! Do you watch me while I'm using the restroom!?"

"We could, but no. What we mean when we say we're always watching is more like we are always _feeling._ We can always feel your emotions. When you're sad, we feel it. Just like when you're happy. And after Taurus came screaming in the Celestial Spirit World that you were the happiest you've ever been since your birth, we had to check it out. Turns out you and Natsu were getting to know each other a bit more."

"Oh my gosh, Loke! It was just a little kiss! It wasn't even that serious!"

"Sure it wasn't! Is that why you were so nervous this morning?"

"So you felt that too?"

"Yep. I almost threw up because of how nervous I felt."

"Sorry about that," Lucy stated. With flushed cheeks, she continued, "I've just never done anything like that before. I don't know what it means."

"What does it mean to you?" Loke questioned.

"I'd like to think it means that Natsu feels the same, but I don't know what Natsu thinks about it. We haven't talked about it at all."

"Why not?"

"Well it's not something you just bring up out of nowhere… Not to mention the fact that Happy is always with us. If he ever found out, he would constantly make fun of us and we'd never get the chance to have a real talk about it."

"I suppose that makes sense. Just wait it out, Lucy," Loke advised with a smile. "I may not be able to feel Natsu's emotions the way I feel yours, but I don't need to in order to know he feels the same about you."

"Y-You think so?" Lucy asked, hope sprouting within her.

"Definitely," the spirit answered, ruffling the girl's golden hair. "Give it time until you two are alone and then you can talk about it. For now, though, let's focus on this spell."

"Right. Thanks, Loke."

"Don't mention it. I'm going to wait with Natsu and Happy. I'll come back after you finished the spell."

"Okay!"

Lucy took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come. She was about to use Urano Metria, the spell that nearly killed her not even a month ago. Though the girl trusted Loke, she was still uneasy about using the spell. Still, it was something she needed to master in order to help others.

Lucy closed her eyes as she began to muster all of her magical power, feeling it swirl in the pit of her stomach. This part was easy, for it was like using a lacrima. She had long since learned how to channel magical power. However, it got tough when it came to keeping it within her while she began the incantation.

"Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens," Lucy began, magic rising within her. "All the stars, far and wide, show me thy appearance with such shine. Oh Tetrabiblos, I am the ruler of the stars."

Lucy winced as she struggled to keep the magical power within her. It reminded her of when she was boiling noodles and she put a lid over the pot in an attempt to keep the water from boiling over, to no avail. Or better yet, when she was sitting in class after eating a bad burrito and having to keep herself from throwing up. That was how she felt.

"Aspect become complete. Open thy malevolent gate," Lucy grinded out, her body growing hotter by the second. She had a feeling that if she didn't hurry up, her body was going to explode. "Oh 88 Stars of the heaven, Shine! _Urano Metria!"_

Just like the first time Lucy used the spell, her vision blacked out, leaving her blind. But she could feel a bright light, brighter than anything she had ever seen before. She feared that if she opened her eyes, they would burn.

Just as Loke stated, Lucy's body immediately became drained and she collapsed to the ground with a huff of air. She laid there, panting and trying to catch her breath. Every part of her felt empty like a car with no gas. Darkness tugged at her, threatening to bring her to unconsciousness.

* * *

Natsu stood far away with Loke and Happy, unable to see his beloved blonde. Even when shielding his eyes with his arm, the boy could still see a bright light beyond him. Hell, he could even _feel_ it. Whatever Lucy just did, it was awesome.

When the light finally died down, Natsu glanced at Loke before nodding and leading the way towards the clearing. It didn't take long until they approached dozens of trees knocked over, some by the stump. Eventually, they found Lucy laying on the dirt, her golden hair splayed around her.

Natsu dropped by the girl's side immediately and checked to make sure she was alright. Sweat dampened her clothes and covered her skin in a thin layer while she panted, her eyes drooping closed, but she was okay. Exhausted, but okay.

"Good job, Lucy," Loke congratulated with a smile. "You did well."

"Thanks," the blonde breathed out in reply. "Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," Happy answered. "Are you?"

"Yeah, just tired. I'm going to sleep, okay?"

Natsu chuckled and brushed the blonde's hair out of her face. "Alright, Luce. Sleep tight."

Lucy gave the boy a droopy smile before her eyes finally closed for the night. It would take her more time to master Urano Metria, but for now, she was okay with what she had. And with her new spell, she was going to protect those dear to her.

* * *

Loud footsteps boomed throughout the castle as a tall, fuller man walked through the tiled halls. The lights were dim, making the stone castle appear even scarier, but not to the man. No, the man thought of this castle as his home and had done so ever since his master took him in, along with everyone else.

Being second in command had its perks. The man had a whole regime under his control and he was also allowed entrance into places nobody else was, one of which he was headed to at that moment.

Knocking twice on the large iron door, the man waited until he was granted permission to enter.

"Did you need something?" his master asked.

"I came to tell you that we have whereabouts of the girl," the man answered.

"Oh? And where is she?"

"She is in the East Forest, heading towards Clover Town for the next story. She is accompanied by a dragon slayer and an exceed."

"Interesting."

"Should we go retrieve her?"

"No. Leave her be for now."

The man frowned and questioned, "Why, sir? We finally located her. It would be easy to take her, even with the dragon slayer there. Then we can start your plan."

"Patience," his master replied with a dark grin. "She needs to finish the stories in the book first before she can be of any use to us. Soon, though. Soon we will be able to begin our plan."

The man began to weep, his tears leaking through the bandages that covered his eyes. "How sad! She is back in her homeland and doesn't even know it! And soon we'll be taking her from her friends! It's just so sad!"

His master's grin grew wider as he nodded.

"Yes. Very sad."

* * *

 **AN:** Personally, I think the ending was the best part of this chapter I really like it lol. Hope you guys liked it! :D

Thanks to the awesome peeps that reviewed, we had some new ones: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, Crazymagic16, Lunahartz, ThayetJade, crazydaisy-in-tha-house, Alexa60765, KitKat2648, happyheroin, SusieSamurai, Dragneel562, Guest, xSinfulDragonSlayer, CupcakeGoddess22, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.** Thanks to those that followed/faved too! :D


	53. Chapter 53

**AN:** Today's QOTD comes from NaluPrincess, who asked with Fairy Tail ending soon, how do you feel? I am very upset that FT is ending soon because I've been watching the anime for almost five years now and it's my favorite series by far. I do wonder how Mashima is going to wrap up the ending in 3 chapters because admittedly, it doesn't look possible, but I have faith in him! Whatever ending he comes up with will be amazing, I'm sure of it. And even if none of my ships become canon, I will still be happy and thankful for FT and Mashima. :) What are your guys' thoughts? :)

Also, I loved reading all of your guesses as to who the mystery people were at the end of last chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 53

Clover Town

The next morning, Natsu's eyes slowly opened as the sunlight washed over his face, causing him to growl in annoyance. Glancing around the destroyed clearing, which was littered with fallen trees, the boy's eyes immediately landed on Lucy. The girl was snoozing away in peace, her mouth parted slightly and her golden hair splaying around her.

Natsu smiled fondly at the sight before searching for Happy. The cat was sleeping near the blonde, using his knapsack as a pillow. The desire to be close to Lucy erupted in the dragon slayer. With quiet movements, he crawled towards her, wincing whenever he accidentally snapped a twig.

When Natsu was finally next to Lucy, he laid beside her, a familiar warmth coursing through his veins. He gently drooped his arm over the blonde's waist and scooted closer to her, offering additional heat. Burying his nose in the girl's hair, he inhaled deeply, the lavender scent intoxicating and addictive. Everything about Lucy was addicting.

Not once was Natsu able to stop thinking about their kiss. He enjoyed every second of it and he wanted nothing more than to have a follow up session. Not wanting to rush Lucy, however, the boy acted casual and didn't bring it up.

Lucy murmured to herself incoherently as she snuggled deeper into the firm object that was providing her warmth. When the sun's rays became too bright to ignore, the girl reluctantly opened her eyes with a loud yawn. She brought a hand to her eyes and rubbed them sleepily. She was still a bit drained from using Urano Metria.

"Morning," a voice whispered into her ear.

Lucy had to stifle a shriek, her body growing red and warm with heat. She could tell from Natsu's voice that he was teasing her and she could imagine the smirk that was surely plastered to his face. And that was when she realized that the firm object that was providing her with heat was actually the dragon slayer she had been travelling with for a few months.

"W-What do you think you're doing?" Lucy quietly scolded.

"You were shivering so I was warming you up," Natsu fibbed with a shrug.

"Oh really? You expect me to believe that?"

"Well yeah since you're always talking about using me as your human heater."

"Okay, that's a good point. You can get off of me now though," Lucy stated, her cheeks coated pink.

"Nah," Natsu lazily replied. "I think this feels nice."

Lucy huffed as she turned around, Natsu's arm still resting over her hip. She faced the boy, her brows slanted in feigned annoyance. In truth, waking up cuddling with Natsu was nothing to be annoyed of. Not for her, at least. Especially when he wasn't snoring or drooling.

The two's faces were mere inches apart, their hair still messy from the night's rest. Their cheeks were mutually pink and their hearts were soaring within their chests.

"You think that just because we kissed I'm going to let you spoon me?" Lucy teased with a smirk.

"Looks like it," Natsu replied. He gave the girl a heart-warming grin. "So again, morning, Luce. Did you sleep well after using that spell?"

"Good morning to you, too. And yeah. I'm a bit tired still but I think I'll be fine. We can't keep Snow White waiting for too long."

"We'll be reaching Clover Town this afternoon. Then we can work on finding her somehow."

"That's good…" Lucy bit her bottom lip nervously as she continued, "Hey, Natsu… Can I ask you something?"

Natsu already had a pretty good idea as to what the girl was going to ask so he simply nodded in return.

"W-What are we?" Lucy shyly questioned. "I mean, why did you kiss me?"

The boy averted his gaze, heat rising in his cheeks as he buried his face in his scarf. The question was simple, really. He kissed her because he couldn't control it anymore. Being so close to what he desired for a while now, he just couldn't fight it.

But was he ready to tell her that? Surely that meant confessing his feelings. Was he ready for that step? All of this was new to the boy, something he had absolutely no experience in. He had the basic knowledge of relationships, or at least what Igneel told him before he vanished. He knew of dates, sex, marriage, and having kids. Did he want all of that stuff with Lucy?

With one look at the girl's stunning brown eyes, Natsu knew the answer to his unasked question.

"I couldn't control myself anymore. And I'm not sorry about it," he stated bluntly. His eyes were hard with seriousness and he refused to look away.

The look admittedly had Lucy squirming in her spot, pink coating her cheeks. Whenever he looked at her with such intensity, her legs couldn't help but turn to jello as her breath hitched in her throat. Then she realized something from his answer.

"Anymore?" Lucy questioned. "Y-You mean… You wanted to kiss me before?"

"Yeah," Natsu answered honestly. His heart was beating a hundred miles an hour but he wasn't going to back down. "And I went for it because I heard your heartbeat and I assumed you did too. But I could've been wrong-"

"You weren't!" the blonde quickly assured. "I-I mean, I did want to, too. So… What does this make us?"

"I don't know. Why don't we just go with the flow of things?"

"You mean without a label?"

"I don't see why not. It's not like we have a lot of time for the mushy romantic stuff anyways."

"I guess that's true," Lucy stated with a shrug. "Alright, we'll just take things slow and steady and see where it takes us." It wasn't a bad idea. It probably would help for the day Rapunzel came along. There would be no label to erase. Surely that would ease her heart at least a little bit.

"Alright!" Natsu replied, a wide grin plastered to his face. "About us, though… Maybe we should keep it a secret from Happy? At least for now."

"Definitely," the blonde replied with a nod. "I can only imagine how much he would tease us."

"He'll do that weird tongue rolling thing."

"Don't even remind me."

The two laid by each other in a content silence, sloppy smiles glued to their faces. Everything was right between them, simple. They weren't rushing to settle down, instead they were testing the waters and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Lucy glanced at Natsu's lips, a familiar warmth spreading through her body. With newfound courage and confidence, the girl leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a chaste kiss. It didn't match the passion of their kiss from the other day, but it still managed to send a jolt of electricity within them.

"Time to go," Lucy stated as she got up to her feet, her lips curling upwards into a smirk.

Natsu frowned and asked, "Can't we do that just a little longer? Like the last time?"

"Nope," the blonde answered, her grin widening. "We're taking things slow, remember?"

"Didn't think you'd be such a tease."

"Didn't think you'd know what a tease was."

"I'm not as dense as everyone thinks."

"Really? Could've fooled me."

"You two are arguing already?" a sudden voice questioned, followed by a loud yawn. Happy slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes with his paws. "What's it about this time?"

Lucy released a sigh of relief, glad that the cat didn't hear their conversation. That definitely would've revealed her relationship with Natsu. Whatever relationship that may be.

"We were just arguing about directions," Natsu fibbed. "Lucy thought we should be heading North, but I was reminding her that we're supposed to go East."

"Lucy's so stupid," Happy mumbled.

A vein ticked in the said girl's forehead as she picked the cat up by his tail, sadistically amused with the yelp he gave. "Who's stupid?"

"N-Not you!" Happy shrieked.

"That's what I thought."

Lucy dropped the cat back onto the ground and with that, the trio were quickly packing their things for their last day of walking. The blonde made sure to carefully fold her blanket before stowing it into her backpack. Though she wasn't planning to actively seek out her parents, she still wanted to be careful with the only memento she had of them.

Due to their eagerness to finally leave the East Forest, the three walked with fast paces. Lucy shared a few quick and sneaky glances with Natsu, hidden from their other partner's gaze. Other than that, they made sure to stay an appropriate distance away from each other and despite how much she wanted to hold his hand, she didn't.

Three hours of nonstop walking later, the trio finally approached the tree line of the forest. It was just in time, too, considering they just ran out of water, thanks to a certain cat hogging it all. Natsu and Lucy took it upon themselves to punish their friend by making him watch them eat his last fish.

Since then, tension has been high, but they were finally about to leave the hellish forest. It was amazing how many stories had taken place in that dreaded thicket of trees. It was like a long camping trip in which the bathrooms were horrendously dirty and they forgot all of their board games.

Lucy practically squealed with delight when they approached a sign declaring they were nearing Clover Town. Sure enough, with five more minutes of walking, the three were finally out of the East Forest and were in Clover Town. Though, there wasn't much of a difference.

There were few paved roads and there were still a plethora of trees scattered around. The only real proof of them being in a civilized town were the small cottages and the train station they could see in the distance. Though it was a traditional town, it was big in size and was not rundown like Shirotsume when Lucy first arrived in Earthland. The cottages were in pristine condition, not even a bit of paint chipping away.

"So this place is supposed to be controlled by some evil dwarves, right?" Natsu asked, taking in his surroundings and staying close by his friends.

"Aye," Happy answered. "But it doesn't really look like it."

"Maybe it hasn't happened yet," Lucy suggested. "Maybe we have more time than we thought."

"Alright, so what's our first step?" Natsu asked.

Lucy shrugged as she pointed towards an inn. "We find a place to stay. I don't think talking about this in public would be too smart."

With that, the three went inside the inn. It was bigger than Deguchi's and far pricier, though the regal furniture made up for the price. After getting a room on the bottom floor, they bustled in and plopped on their own beds- well, Natsu and Happy shared as always.

"Alright, savior, what's our plan now?" Natsu questioned, sitting cross legged on the bed.

Lucy shrugged and answered, "There's not really a choice other than fighting the dwarves first and rescuing Ferdinand so he can wake up Snow."

"And how do you plan on finding them?"

"Remember what I told you about Mira? I just have this weird, pulling feeling when I'm close to figuring something out. I don't know what it is, but I feel like it's the book's way of helping me."

"Seriously? We're going with that?"

"It hasn't let us down before. And I doubt you have a better idea!"

"I do! We just charge in there and beat them up!"

"And we don't know where _there_ is, idiot!"

"Stop flirting in front of me!" Happy cried. He raised his brows in confusion as neither of the two denied that they were flirting. Usually they would deny it with flushed faces. This time they just smiled at each other.

" _That's weird,"_ Happy thought, watching the two.

Before the cat could start to question them, Lucy spoke.

"We just have to go with my gut feeling until we think of something better," she stated. "But just you wait, my gut feeling is going to be right again!"

"Whatever you say," Natsu replied. "Let's go then. It's still just the afternoon, we shouldn't waste this time. We can figure out more about the town's situation or get a head start looking for Snow."

Lucy and Happy nodded, following their third musketeer out of the room and onto the paved streets of Clover Town. People were out, smiling and filling the air with their laughter. It definitely didn't look like they were on the verge of destruction at all.

The three paused their walk and ordered ice cream cones from a stand. Lucy's was a single strawberry scoop. Happy's was a vanilla scoop, topped with a raw fish from his knapsack. Natsu's was a triple scoop with a mixture of flavors Lucy never heard of in Earth.

As they walked and ate their ice cream, they kept their eyes glued for any hints. Hints of what, they weren't exactly sure. Whether it be to Snow or Ferdinand would be helpful.

Natsu turned his head and watched Lucy eat her ice cream. She was so slow, only licking it once or twice a minute. His cone was already finished for he practically inhaled it.

Lucy could feel Natsu's longing gaze on her ice cream and ignored him. It was hers and it was his own fault for finishing so fast.

"Oi, Luce-"

"Nope."

"C'mon! Just a bite!"

"Not happening."

"You can have a bite of my ice cream!" Happy offered, holding the cone towards the dragon slayer.

Natsu studied the cone and cringed seeing the juices from the fish leak into the ice cream. If he looked at it any longer, he would hurl. So, he kindly turned down the cat's offer and resumed gazing at Lucy's cone.

"Stop being so stingy, Lucy!" Natsu whined.

"You stop being so greedy and annoying!" the blonde shot back.

"Just a bite!"

"No!"

"Please?"

Lucy finally glanced at the boy and immediately her resolve began to chip away. His eyes were big and filled with desperation while his cheeks were adorably puffed.

"Fine," the girl reluctantly stated. "You get one bite. _One!"_

And immediately Natsu's desperate, pleading face turned into a heavy smirk as he accepted the ice cream. Opening his mouth wide, he shoved most of the scoop into his mouth before biting off. How he was able to bite cold ice cream, Lucy wasn't sure. She muttered incentives under breath when he handed her the ice cream.

After everyone finished their cones, they focused on finding clues once again.

"Well? How's your pulling feeling at the moment?" Natsu asked with a heavy smirk.

"It's not working right now but you just wait!" Lucy replied with a huff. "We just aren't close enough yet!"

"Oh yeah? So what, you think a sign is going to just pop up out of nowhere?"

"Yep! You'll see! And I expect you to admit defeat when- Wait. I felt something."

"Really, Luce? You think I'd fall for that?"

"I'm serious, idiot. I feel it. It's faint, but it's there," Lucy answered with hard eyes as she studied their surroundings.

"Are you sure you aren't just sick?" Happy questioned.

"Positive. I've felt it before and I've been getting better. I think training with Loke helped, too."

Natsu crossed his arms and shrugged. "Well I don't see any-"

"Help! Please, somebody help! My friend is in danger!" someone randomly cried in a high-pitched voice similar to Happy's.

The trio whipped their heads to the voice and immediately their jaws dropped to the ground. Their voice wasn't the only thing similar to Happy. Standing in front of them was none other than a white exceed.

* * *

 **AN:** Well I think it's pretty clear who is in this story! :D Of course I couldn't leave her out! ;) Also, YAY WE'RE AT 700 REVIEWS! THAT MEANS A SNEAK PEEK IS WELL DESERVED:

 _And then there was Happy. Lucy had a feeling that he had never met another exceed before if his obvious curiosity was anything to go by. She recalled the night they sat around the campfire before meeting the Strauss siblings, in which they tried to get to know each other better. Happy knew next to nothing about his upbringings, there was no doubt in the blonde's mind that he was wondering if the other exceed knew more._

Thank you to everyone who reviewed: **CupcakeGoddess22, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, ThayetJade, MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, Alexa60765, An Amber Pen, Crazymagic16, KitKat2648, HuskyDawn, Guest, Lunahartz, happyheroin, Soul Eater Maka, ThatPixleDino, Nalulove, NaluPrincess, xSinfulDragonSlayer.**


	54. Chapter 54

**AN:** Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update, I completely forgot to write on this story that I'll be going on a trip. Oops. But now I'm back! If you're wondering about Sailing with Fire, I am not ready to update that story yet. The only reason I can update this one is because the chapters are already written lol. So enjoy! :D

* * *

Chapter 54

Charle

Happy's mouth hung open like a fish out of water as he stared at the white cat in front of him. She was in a torn, pink dress and had a matching bow tied at the end of her tail. Grime was smeared over her body and some of her fur was stained with splotches of blood, which he wasn't sure was hers or not considering he didn't see any wounds. Tears welled in the other cat's eyes as she went stand to stand, begging for help.

"Please!" she cried. "You have to help my friend! Hurry!"

Everyone regarded the cat with either annoyed or pitiful glances but didn't bother trying to help. Instead, they went about their days, ignoring her desperate pleas.

Happy scowled at them. How could they ignore someone that clearly needed help? Was it because she was an exceed? Did they think she was inferior?

"We have to help her!" Happy cried, determination settling in his eyes. "She needs help!"

Natsu and Lucy shared a quick glance before nodding and following the blue cat towards the weeping exceed. The white cat glanced up through fresh tears, her eyes widening at the sight of Happy. A faint blush crept over Happy's cheeks.

Lucy noticed the small interaction but ignored it. Crouching in front of the white exceed, she questioned, "Are you alright?"

The cat sniffled and shook its head. "M-My friend! She needs help!"

"It's okay, we'll help your friend. Can you try calming down and telling us your name?"

The exceed nodded and answered, "My name is Charle."

"Alright, Charle. Let's get you to a doctor. You have blood all over you, you need to get checked out."

"I'm fine. M-Most of it isn't my blood and my injuries were already healed by my friend. We have to hurry and help her!"

"From what?" Natsu questioned.

Hatred flashed in Charle's eyes as her paws formed tight fists. "She was taken by some dark mages. I was, too, but she helped me escape."

"How about we go back to our room and talk about this more?" Lucy proposed. "You should get washed up and even if your friend healed your wounds, I want to be extra sure you're alright. We can talk there in private."

Charle reluctantly nodded, sparing Happy a curious glance before following Lucy towards the inn. Happy's heart fluttered from their short eye-contact.

When they reached the inn, Lucy quickly started a shower for the exceed. Not sure if Charle wanted to be alone or not, the blonde stood awkwardly by the door until she was asked to leave. Thus, she joined her two partners on her bed.

"What are we going to do about her?" Natsu questioned, his gaze focused on Happy. It was obvious the cat was curious about the newest exceed.

"We have to help her!" Happy answered desperately. "Even if she's not in the book! We helped everyone in Shirotsume, we can help her too!"

"Happy's right," Lucy replied. "She needs our help, we can't just send her back. We'll try to help as fast as we can and then move on with the book."

The three sat in silence, save for the faint sound of Charle's shower behind the closed door. Things weren't going according to plan- as if they ever did- but it wasn't like they were going to turn Charle away.

A mischevious smirk graced Lucy's face as she turned to Happy and teased, "So Happy, you liiiike her!"

The cat gasped and replied, "You can't use my line against me!"

"Funny, because I just did! Looks like our own little Happy has a crush!"

Natsu chuckled and added, "Finally we can be the ones to tease you!"

"You wouldn't!" Happy cried.

The two humans shared a quick glance before staring back at Happy and replying in unison, "You liiiike her!"

"What are you three doing?" Charle suddenly questioned. Natsu was so focused on making fun of Happy he didn't even notice the shower turn off. Charle looked much better, her fur pure and cleansed of the blood and grime that covered it before.

"N-Nothing!" Happy stammered. He wasn't used to being the one that was made fun of.

Lucy giggled and replied, "Alright, alright. Let's focus now. Charle, can you tell us everything that happened now?"

"Tell us about the dark mages," Natsu added.

Charle nodded and pain flashed in her eyes as she recalled what happened about a year ago. Her body raked with trembles but she let her claws dig into her dress to calm herself down.

"It all started a year ago," Charle stated, her gaze glued to the floor. "My best friend, Wendy, was playing with her friend, Chelia. I was there too, of course."

"Wait a second," Lucy began, her eyes growing wide. "Did you say Chelia?" The cat nodded. "That's the name of the missing Princess!"

"Yes, Chelia is the Princess of this area."

"Does that mean we actually found a clue earlier?" Natsu asked.

Lucy smirked and answered, "Yep! Told you my instincts work!"

The dragon slayer crossed his arms with a huff. Charle raised a brow as to what they were saying but shrugged it off.

"Anyways," she began, "the three of us were playing in her castle. Chelia's parents passed away a long time ago and the only family she has left is a cousin she hasn't spoken to in years. Since she is still young, she relied on advisers to help her with ruling the kingdom.

"There were originally four of them. I always had a bad feeling about them, but neither Wendy nor Chelia listened to me. They trusted them and look what happened!" Charle took a few deep breaths to calm down before continuing, "Eventually, Wendy overheard two of them talking about their plans and about how they were using Chelia all along and were planning on overthrowing the kingdom."

"And then Chelia banished them, right?" Happy questioned.

Charle nodded. "Wendy told Chelia right away and she banished them from the kingdom. Unfortunately for us, the day we were playing in the kingdom, we were taken and brought to their hideout. They need Chelia's power to awaken their leader."

"Their leader?" Natsu asked.

"Another dwarf," Lucy added, cupping her chin in thought. Seeing Charle's perplexed expression, she grabbed the fairy tale book and flipped it open to the relevant story. Handing it to the cat, she explained, "I am the savior to King Heartfilia's curse. Your friends are in this story and it's up to us to bring them their happy endings."

Tears welled in Charle's widened eyes as her breath caught in her throat. "Th-The ending."

Lucy nodded and replied, "That is what happens if we don't help them in time. And since a year has already passed, I'm guessing we don't have that much longer. So I need you to explain the rest of the story."

Charle nodded and cleared her throat before explaining, "We don't know much about their leader but we do know that he is under a sleeping spell."

"Why don't they just wake him up? Sleeping spells actually aren't hard to break."

"They can't wake him up because none of them love him. Even his own son doesn't love him. But they believe that Chelia's power could wake him up."

"Can she?" Natsu asked, his curiosity piqued.

Charle shrugged and answered, "I don't know. Anyways, Chelia refused to help him, even after they tortured all of us. They lost their patience and casted a sleeping curse over her, forcing Wendy to watch because she has the ability to wake her up."

"So Prince Ferdinand is a girl?" Natsu asked.

"I guess so," Lucy answered. "How did you escape, Charle?"

The cat shuddered and answered, "Wendy used all of her magic to get me out. They've been starving and beating us so she used all she had to heal me and blow a hole in the wall. I-I tried to bring her with me but the fast one got her and she told me to go get help."

"Wendy sounds strong," Lucy mused, mostly because she hoped it would make the cat feel better talking about her friend.

"She is," Charle replied with a nod, fighting the tears that pricked her eyes. "It's because she is the Maiden of the Sky. She is the sky dragon slayer."

Surprised gasps left the mouths of everyone else in the room. Lucy glanced towards Natsu, wondering about his reaction. She may not have been in Earthland long, but she knew that dragon slayers were rare. His eyes were wide and his mouth was parted a bit. From the looks of it, it seemed he had never met another dragon slayer before.

And then there was Happy. Lucy had a feeling that he had never met another exceed before if his obvious curiosity was anything to go by. She recalled the night they sat around the campfire before meeting the Strauss siblings, in which they tried to get to know each other better. Happy knew next to nothing about his upbringings, there was no doubt in the blonde's mind that he was wondering if the other exceed knew more.

"Another dragon slayer," Natsu breathed out, still astonished. "W-Was she trained by a dragon?"

Charle studied the boy and answered, "Yes. Grandeneey. But apparently she vanished shortly after the King's curse was enacted."

"Just like Igneel!" Happy mentioned. "Igneel was a dragon that trained Natsu!"

Charle glanced back at the pinkette. So he was a dragon slayer trained by a real dragon as well? There was no doubt in the cat's mind that her friend would love to meet the boy. She would definitely have many questions to ask, which the boy probably didn't know either since his dragon apparently disappeared as well.

"Alright, I have a plan," Lucy stated. Releasing a heavy sigh, she continued, "But it's dangerous."

"What is it?" Happy questioned.

"I'm sure it's obvious. We have no choice but to fight. Even if we snuck Wendy out, they would no doubt come back for her. We have to fight them, meaning Charle needs to lead us to their hideout."

"Alright!" Natsu exclaimed, flames licking his fingertips. "I'm going to turn those guys into ashes"

Lucy sighed once again. "The problem is there are apparently six of them and only two people capable of fighting unless Wendy is ready when we get there."

"Your story is wrong about that," Charle informed them. "There are only four of them, one of which being the leader. Remember when I said there were originally four? It's because I wasn't aware of the master."

"Then who was the fourth guy?" Natsu questioned.

"It was a girl. She was with the others for a couple years but left one day because she found her long lost sister."

"This is so hard to keep track of," Lucy whined. "Do you know their names so we can make this easier?"

Charle nodded. "Angel is the woman that left years ago. The leader goes by Brain. Then there's Racer, the fast one that prevented Wendy from escaping with me. There's another man that goes by Midnight, but I don't know anything of his magic because he is always asleep. Lastly, there is Cobra, another dragon slayer."

"Another one?" Natsu asked with wide eyes.

"Yes. But he wasn't trained by a dragon."

"Then how is he a dragon slayer?"

"I'm not sure, we weren't exactly talkative."

"So that leaves three enemies to fight," Lucy stated. Though it was still unfair, it was _much_ better than she originally thought it would be. And if she casted Urano Metria correctly, then she could possibly take out two of them. "If Wendy is up for fighting, maybe she can help. But for now, it's safe to assume Natsu and I will be doing the fighting."

The others nodded and soon enough, it was time for bed. Lucy's thoughts flooded her mind as she laid in bed, Charle right beside her already snoozing away. If none of the dwarves- which she was going to keep referring to the enemies as- loved their leader, what was the purpose of waking him up? Whatever it was couldn't be good.

Rolling to her side, she found Natsu already asleep on his bed, his loud snores filling the room, Happy curled up above his head on the pillow. With their new relationship, Lucy felt she had even more on the line to protect. And no matter how enemies there were or what kind of disadvantage they had, she was going to fight with all she had to make sure she could continue living by his side.

* * *

 **AN:** Okay, I have to mention here in the AN something that a LOT of people had either skipped over or forgotten haha! Wendy is not Snow White! It was revealed in chapter 48 that Chelia is Snow White, Wendy is Ferdinand! Also, there will be no RoWen in this story, sorry!

And we're already close to 800 reviews even though I was just thanking everyone for 700 reviews last chapter! :D To make things fun, whoever is the 800th reviewer gets to ask any question about this story and I will answer it truthfully! (If it is too much of a spoiler then I won't answer it of course lol. But you're free to ask about the next stories or whatever else you're curious about!)

Anyways, had enough reviews so here's a sneak peek! :D

 _Happy watched Charle sitting against one of the many trees, her arms crossed and gaze hard as she stared into nothingness. After gaining an encouraging glance from Natsu, Happy swallowed thickly before walking towards the other cat, one of the fishes in his paw as an offering._

 _Charle noticed Happy approach her and sighed. It became very clear in the past day that the male cat had developed some type of feelings towards her. And it needed to be stopped. All she wanted was to save Wendy and Chelia, not entertain the thought of boys. Any distractions needed to be ended._

Thank you to the reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, Alexa60765, Crazymagic16, KitKat2648, CupcakeGoddess22, ThayetJade, HuskyDawn, Lunahartz, chocolatecatsconfusion, Soul Eater Maka, ThatPixleDino, FlaminkoMage, xSinfulDragonSlayer, NaluPrincess, stranger1999, Nalulove, Arethelya.** Keep up the reviews and I'll keep up the writing. ;D


	55. Chapter 55

**AN:** Hi guys. I know my updates have been random lately because of my family and all and I really apologize for it. Next week I will be able to go back to my normal updating schedule, I promise!

Anyways, one of my best battle scenes ever is in this arc so I'm stoked about that.

* * *

Chapter 55

Finding Time

After getting a good night's rest, Lucy and the others woke up and began to get ready for their days as briskly as possible. With a little girl in danger, it left them no time for leisurely showers and the like. When everyone was dressed and ready to go, Happy checked their inventory of food and reported that there wasn't enough for everyone, especially since they didn't know how long it would take.

"I'll go get us some food real quick then," Natsu stated, grabbing the backpack so he could store it.

"I'll go with you," Lucy replied. "I have to make sure you pay for it after all."

The boy clenched his chest in mock pain. "Do you have no trust in me?"

"Oh I trust you with my life, Natsu. Just not when it comes to other people's stuff. Happy, Charle, you two stay here. We'll be right back."

Happy nodded, a bright smile plastered on his face. This would give him the perfect opportunity to get to know the cat that had been catching his attention. Charle, who seemed indifferent on the matter, was beautiful, intelligent, and even had some fiery sass in her. There was nothing for him _not_ to love about her.

Lucy and Natsu gave the cats a quick goodbye before heading out of the inn and onto the streets of Clover Town. It was clear that somebody was taking good care of the kingdom even in the Princess' absence. The townspeople were happy and going about their days with no cares in the world.

"So what are we getting?" Lucy questioned. "How much money do we have left?"

Natsu jumped slightly at the girl's sudden voice and brought his attention up to the back of her head as he was a step behind her. His eyes were previously on her dainty, dangling hand that seemed to be calling out for him. Holding hands was never something he wanted to do before, but with Lucy he found himself wondering if her hands were truly as soft as they appeared.

"We have a decent amount," the dragon slayer answered. "See anything you like?"

"I don't know what would survive the trip," the blonde answered.

"Hey, Lucy, did you really come here to make sure I wouldn't steal? Because I haven't stolen once since that time with the bread. Oh, and I guess technically the restaurant but that was their fault for kicking us out before we could pay."

"Don't worry, Natsu. I didn't come here to make sure you didn't steal. I do trust you."

"Then why did you come? Since buying food for trips obviously isn't your specialty."

Lucy's cheeks dusted a light pink as she answered, "I wanted to spend some time alone with you. We haven't had any time alone since… you know."

Natsu quickly recovered from his initial shock from the answer and grinned broadly at the flustered girl. Knowing that she still felt the same as before, there was no hesitation left in him as he reached forward and laced his fingers with hers. Just as he predicted, her hands were soft. The small contact sent warmth flooding through both of their bodies.

Natsu stifled a laugh recalling how he believed the book was wrong about him falling for Lucy. No matter how hard he fought against it in the beginning, his feelings couldn't be smothered and kept popping up. And now that he got a taste of what those feelings could bring, he could never push them away again.

Lucy smiled and drew circles with her thumb on Natsu's hand. It was rough and calloused but the warmth it provided- and not just because he was a dragon slayer- made the touch special.

"I can't wait for all of the stories to be over," the girl mused. "That way you and I can actually have time to focus on this more."

Natsu grinned and replied, "I'm sure we can find time, Luce. Maybe not now, but soon."

The girl nodded, taking his word for it. The two settled for two loaves of sliced bread and some peanut butter and jelly, and some fish for Happy and Charle. After working with loads of bread from helping the Strauss siblings, they thought they were never going to take a bite of it again. But with their traveling, there were only limited options to choose from.

So with their food purchased, the two made their way back to the inn. Lucy was about to head inside and retrieve the cats when a warm hand circled her wrist and stopped her in her tracks.

Lucy turned around and began, "What is it, Nat-"

And his lips quickly found hers in a surprise kiss. Lucy nearly dropped the bag because of her arms going numb. Before she could deepen the kiss, Natsu pulled away with a cheeky grin.

"Told ya we could make time," he stated with a chuckle, leading the way inside.

Lucy stood there for a few moments, her cheeks rosy and her fingers at her lips. Oh yeah, she would definitely have to make some time later. The next time they were out of the exceeds' eyes to be exact.

* * *

After informing the cats they were ready, the group of four left the inn after paying their dues and began their journey to the dwarves' hideout. According to Charle, it had taken her nearly six hours from switching between walking and flying to reach Clover Town, meaning it would take them closer to eight hours.

Lucy groaned as they entered the dreaded forest they just couldn't seem to be done with. She was seriously considering letting Natsu just burn it all down to make things easier. She couldn't stomach being there for almost another day.

Thanks to all of the journeys she had been on since arriving in Earthland, Lucy found her stamina had increased tenfold. They didn't have to take as many breaks as needed before, and with a little girl's life on the line, they weren't going to push how much time they had left. With Charle's escape, they didn't know how the dwarves were taking it and they could be reaching their limit of patience. They had to act fast.

But of course, walking eight hours straight wasn't going to be possible for any of them, so a break was in order.

"I'm starving," Lucy whined, her stomach gurgling in agreement while Natsu grabbed the food.

"Me too," Natsu replied, handing Happy two fishes. He reached in the bag, searching for a knife so that he could make the sandwiches, paling when he realized he never bought one. Peeking over his shoulder to glance at a certain blonde, he gave a sigh of relief seeing her distracted. With a shrug, he dipped his hands into the peanut butter and jelly jars and smeared them onto the bread. Surely if Lucy saw, she would have flipped a switch. But hey, what she didn't know wouldn't kill her.

Lucy thanked Natsu for the sandwich and began to scarf it down. Was it ladylike? No, but she didn't care. She was starving and after being given food, she wasn't going to eat at a slow pace.

Happy watched Charle sitting against one of the many trees, her arms crossed and gaze hard as she stared into nothingness. After gaining an encouraging glance from Natsu, Happy swallowed thickly before walking towards the other cat, one of the fish in his paw as an offering.

Charle noticed Happy approach her and sighed. It became very clear in the past day that the male cat had developed some type of feelings towards her. And it needed to be stopped. All she wanted was to save Wendy and Chelia, not entertain the thought of boys. Any distractions needed to be ended.

"I brought you a fish," Happy stated with a smile, hesitantly holding out a fish.

Charle turned her nose up with a huff. "I don't like fish."

Happy was stunned with the statement but recovered quickly. "Do you want me to make you a sandwich?"

"No thank you. I saw how that barbarian made it and it ruined my appetite."

From where Lucy was seated, she shot Natsu a quick, questioning- and threatening- glance. What the hell did he do with her sandwich?

Happy frowned, noticing that he wasn't making great strides with the other exceed. If offering some of his food wasn't going to make her happy, what would? Searching Charle's eyes for answers, he noticed great pain residing in them. There was only one reason why she would be hurting so much.

"Do you want to talk about her?" Happy offered.

Charle whipped her head towards the other cat and he feared she was going to yell at him. Instead, a small smile etched itself on her lips as she nodded, giving Happy hope.

"Wendy is a nice girl," she stated, her smile growing. "She found my egg and took care of it until I hatched. And even afterwards she continued to look after me. Ever since then, we've been inseparable, even when Chelia joined us. She's smart for her age and is stronger than she- and maybe myself- give her credit for."

Pain flashed in the exceeds eyes once again as she continued, "But she didn't listen to me. The reason I had a bad feeling about the advisors is because I saw something."

"You saw something?" Happy questioned, confused.

"Yes. Something that hadn't happened yet. I somehow saw it in my head. But when I told Wendy and Chelia, they thought that I must've dreamt about it. The night before we were taken, Wendy and I got into a fight because she didn't believe me. And now…"

Tears welled in the cat's eyes, regret hitting her all over again like a brick. Fights with Wendy weren't rare, especially since Charle tended to be a bit on the stricter side. But the fight before they were kidnapped was bad, full of things neither could take back.

"But you were right in the end," Happy stated. "So doesn't that mean she'll forgive you?"

"It doesn't matter if I was right or not!" Charle shouted. "The point is, I said horrible things and she's still captured!"

"Well if she's as kind as you say she is, then she'll forgive you. Have you forgiven her?"

"Of course!"

"There you go then! There's no point stressing about what happened if you both forgive each other!"

Charle gazed into Happy's eyes. He was right. Wendy was no doubt one of the most forgiving people she had ever met, of course she would forgive her. Guilt and past mistakes would only hold her down. She needed to be focused on rescuing Wendy.

"Thank you, Happy," Charle murmured. Though she would not go as far as to say she was in love with the blue cat, he definitely knew what to say to cheer her up. Not to mention the fact that he had her curious. It was the first time she met another exceed.

"Aye!" Happy replied with a grin.

Natsu and Lucy shared a quick, happy glance. Their third musketeer was making progress with his crush. Though, the former was a tad nervous that the cat would get too attached. They were on a mission that required traveling, after all.

After their break, the group resumed walking through the dense forest- save for Natsu, who had to limp because of a rather harsh Lucy Kick he received. Turned out she didn't appreciate a sandwich being made with his hands, so when she found out, she had been merciless.

Hours passed and finally Natsu's nose twitched. There were five unfamiliar scents up ahead. Charle stopped in her tracks, signaling for everyone to be quiet before kneeling onto the ground. Picking up a stick, she used it to write in the dirt.

"Be careful," she wrote. "Cobra can hear from far away and can even hear our thoughts. Their hideout is just ahead in a cave."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Lucy wasn't sure how Natsu was going to deal with a mage that could hear his thoughts but she trusted him. Even if she didn't, it wasn't like he would let her help. This was a battle between dragon slayers, she knew better than to intervene.

Since their top priority was rescuing Wendy, the group decided to sneak into the cave. It was dark and wet, giving Lucy the creeps. They made sure not to make any noises. To their surprise, the cave branched out into three different tunnels.

"What do we do now?" Lucy whispered.

"Don't ask us, you're the savior," Natsu replied.

"Let's split up," the blonde offered.

"You want to split up? With all of the enemies here, you actually want to split up? That's stupid, Lucy! You could get hurt!"

"I'm okay with that if it means helping someone else. Besides, I have Urano Metria now. I'll be fine."

"What about us?" Charle hissed. "We don't have any fighting abilities."

"You guys have to find Wendy and fly her out of here as fast as possible," Lucy answered.

"I'll keep you and Wendy safe!" Happy assured.

Natsu smothered a growl and reluctantly nodded. He had to have faith in Lucy. She hadn't lost yet and she wasn't going to lose now.

"Fine," he stated. "If any of you need help, call my name."

Everyone nodded before going their separate ways. Natsu chose the tunnel to the left, the exceeds chose the middle path, while Lucy proceeded on the path to the right.

It was time for battle.

* * *

 **AN:** What do you guys think so far? :O I wanted to combine this chapter with the last chapter but then it would've messed up every chapter after it and I didn't want to deal with that lol. So I'm sorry if the chapters are short! I never go under my minimum but they still seem so short compared to Sailing with Fire!

Also, don't forget! The 800th reviewer gets to ask any question they want so be thinking of the one question you want answered! :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Soul Eater Maka, MasterGildarts, Guest, Crazymagic16, sabrina-luna-potter, ThayetJade, FlaminkoMage, Holly Dragneel, Alexa60765, NWA4LYFLOUIE, Lunahartz, Fanficcrazygirl, BeautifulAstrology, MMoPhc15, Nalulove, ThatPixleDino, CupcakeGoddess22, Arethelya.**


	56. Chapter 56

**AN:** Longer chapter this time! Hopefully you guys like this chapter as much as I did lol.

* * *

Chapter 56

Lucy v. Midnight

Natsu briskly stalked through the tunnel, staying alert for any surprise attacks. Most of the time he was always up for a good fight, but with Lucy by herself and Happy with nobody able to fight, all the boy wanted was to get it over quick so he could aid them. The dragon slayer had trust in the blonde's abilities and Happy's speed was growing each day but he still worried for them. Especially after one of them almost died from their last adventure.

Natsu stopped in his tracks as his ears perked to a faint hissing sound. Someone or _something_ was up ahead, waiting for him. And he wasn't going to keep them waiting.

Lacrimas lit up the tunnel and eventually Natsu found it expanding into an open, rocky space where two people waited, sinister smiles plastered to their faces.

One was a male leaning against the wall, with blonde and black hair, similar to a Mohawk. He was in a red and black racing suit and had shades covering his eyes, similar to Loke's. The most prominent feature of the man was his nose, pointed like a beak, reminding Natsu of the puppet he fought against when he was helping Erza.

On the opposite side of the cavern sat another man with skin tanner than his own, maroon hair and deep, slit purple eyes. He wore red pants and a black undershirt covered by a white trench coat. The man smirked, revealing sharp canines similar to Natsu's, alerting the pinkette that he was the supposed dragon slayer. Next to him was an unbelievably large purple snake with glowing green eyes.

"Took you long enough to get here," the maroon-haired man jibed. "We were getting tired of waiting."

Natsu smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Oh? So you knew?"

The man's smirk grew. "Yep. I heard you and your friends coming from miles away. Looks like that white cat is back."

"What a foolish choice she made," the other mad replied. "She would've lived if she stayed away. Now she'll have to die, just like her friend. But first, let me handle this guy."

The man with the snake shrugged. "Have at it."

Natsu planted his feet firmly in the rocky ground and watched the taller man intently, waiting for him to make his move. Not even a second later, a nasty kick was delivered to his stomach, sending him spiraling backwards. The dragon slayer heaved for air, clutching his chest tightly. It took a moment too long for his likings for air to make its way into his lungs.

Once recovered, Natsu quickly rose to his feet, enveloping his fists in flames. Alright, so the guy was fast. Definitely faster than him. But surely that attack must've been because he wasn't ready.

Natsu growled, waiting for the man to make another move. This time he would dodge and then counter appropriately.

Or not.

Once again, the man dashed forward and landed another hit on him, this time a punch to the jaw. Natsu flew back again, irritated with the man's speed. Blood dripped from his mouth as he rose again persistently.

"Alright, you're faster than I thought," Natsu stated, spitting some of the blood in his mouth out onto the ground. The metallic taste lingered. "I'll give you that. But your hits are weak. Even Happy could hit harder than that."

The man frowned. "I don't know who this _Happy_ is, but I'm not fond of insults. Especially ones from a pink-haired boy that can't keep up with me at my lowest speed."

"Oh I can keep up. I was just testing the waters."

The man scoffed. "Nobody can keep up with me, that's why my name is Racer."

"Racer? Really? How original."

"My name may not be creative but at least it holds up."

Racer proved this by lunging towards Natsu once again, delivering harsh blow after blow. The pinkette let out a frustrated growl, growing tired of getting beaten like a punching bag. His nose couldn't even keep up with the man and his eyes definitely weren't helping.

That just left him one thing to do.

Racer leapt high into the air, his leg stretched upwards in order to deliver a strong kick to Natsu's head. With this, the battle would be over.

"Sorry to end things so quickly," Racer began, "but it's in my nature."

He drew close to the disoriented Natsu, ready to make contact with his cranium. Instead of kicking him, however, he was suddenly engulfed in scathing flames. A pained cry left his lips as the fire scorched his body, hotter than anything he had every felt before.

Natsu took Racer's momentary distraction to his advantage. Grabbing the other man's arm, the dragon slayer kept him secured and breathed a fiery roar into his face. When the flames died down, all that was left was an unconscious, fried-up Racer.

Natsu panted, a smirk etching itself onto his face. Beating Racer wasn't very easy but it wasn't too hard either. He barely had to use any of his magical power, which was a plus. The only downside was that he suffered from a few large bruises and perhaps a cracked rib.

All that was left was the man who was still sitting leisurely on a rock as if he had no cares in the world, his snake loyally beside him.

"Why didn't you help him out?" Natsu questioned. "He's your friend, isn't he?"

The man cackled and replied, "We don't need each other's pity. If we're defeated, so be it."

"So you don't want any of your friends to help you when I turn you to ashes? Good to know."

The man cackled once again. "The name's Cobra. I hate killing people without telling them my name. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"I'm Natsu," the boy replied with a smirk. "I'm a real dragon slayer. How do you have dragon slaying magic if you weren't taught by a dragon?"

"Real dragon slayer? Oh, you're one of the old types. The _weaker_ types. See, I have a lacrima inside of me that gives me dragon slayer magic."

"So you're a cheater!"

"I ain't a cheater!"

"Yes you are! You aren't an actual dragon slayer!"

Cobra glared at the boy. "Damn, you're annoying. How about we just get this over with?"

"Yeah, I'll make this quick," Natsu replied, cracking his knuckles.

"I'll warn you now, Racer ain't as strong as me."

"It doesn't matter. I'm gonna burn you to ashes so I can go catch up with Lucy."

"Lucy? Ahh, the girl you came here with. Don't bother, the chick's gonna be dead soon."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Cobra shrugged and answered, "She chose the wrong cave to go into. Midnight's sleeping in there."

"And?" Natsu questioned, losing his patience.

"Midnight is either as strong as me or even stronger. And let's just say he isn't a fan of being woken up."

* * *

Lucy sighed as she strolled through the path she selected. Lacrimas were far too spread out, causing the cave to be darker than she preferred. The ground was also jagged and had various puddles, most of which she unfortunately stepped in. The boots Erza lent her months ago were nowhere near waterproof anymore. The blonde absolutely hated soggy socks.

As Lucy ventured deeper into the tunnel, she felt another person's presence. Whether it was Wendy's or an enemy's, she was unsure. With caution, the girl noiselessly crept forward, waiting for someone to jump out at her.

She was more than surprised to find a man sleeping, much less a man sleeping while sitting upwards.

The man was strange looking with a top layer of black hair, the bottom being longer and white. He seemed to be wearing black eyeliner and purple lipstick. Sitting upright with his arms crossed, the man was snoozing away without a care in the world.

How was Lucy supposed to attack him?

" _Maybe I should just sneak around him,"_ she thought. " _But then again, he'll just go after Wendy and Chelia again when he wakes up. They all need to be arrested. And there's no way he'll willingly let guards drag him off so defeating him is my only option."_

With a frown, Lucy warily approached the sleeping man. Even though she had a great advantage, she felt wrong attacking him when he was sleeping. A good, fair fight was what she expected, not this.

Extending a shaky hand towards the strange man, Lucy gently prodded him in an effort to wake him up. His eyes remained closed, however, prompting her to up her game. So, the blonde shook him by the shoulders.

"Hello," she called out while shaking him. "Wake up already! This is no place to be sleeping!"

Lucy shrieked and jumped away as the man's eyes finally opened. They were a deep red and in truth they scared her. Not so much due to the color, but because of the sheer anger that gleamed in them. The man craned his head upwards to stare at her before rising to his feet.

"What a shame," he stated. "You woke me up. And now I'll have to kill you. Had you not done that, you might've been able to live."

Lucy instinctively grabbed her whip, ready for an attack.

"Bring it on!" she taunted with a heavy smirk.

The girl was about to crack her whip towards the boy when her shirt began to tighten unbearably around her torso. It reminded her of when she tested out a waist trainer; it was so painful she threw it out the next day. This was ten times worse. Her shirt tightened to the point that it was growing harder to breathe and she feared her ribs would start to crack.

" _So he can manipulate objects,"_ Lucy thought. " _Obviously he can't manipulate humans since he would've just used it on me if he could."_

Glad that her arms were pinned to her side and giving her access to her keys, the blonde carefully grabbed the nearest one.

"Open, Gate of the archer, Sagittarius!" she cried.

In a bright glow, the strange spirit arrived, saluting to nobody in particular. Wasting no time on greetings, Sagittarius quickly shot a round of arrows towards the other mage. To Lucy's dismay, they all warped around him. At least his manipulation of her clothes stopped.

" _Which means he can't manipulate two things at once,"_ Lucy gathered. " _As long as Sagittarius keeps distracting him I can start my own attack!"_

Midnight scoffed as he continued to warp the incoming weapons away from him. "A celestial mage, huh?" That was quite the advantage for her seeing as how he couldn't control her spirits. His controlling magic only pertained to objects, celestial spirits were out of his magical domain. For now, he had to play on the defensive.

Lucy sized Midnight up, thinking about her next plan. She could rely on Sagittarius to continue distracting him while she physically attacked. Or she could use the time she had now to use Urano Metria. There were so many options to choose from and if she chose the wrong one, she could die.

" _If I begin casting Urano Metria and Midnight somehow beats Sagittarius, that leaves me wide open. Not to mention that if he has some sort of trick around the spell, it would leave me magicless. But if I'm not strong enough to beat him physically then I would waste the time Sagittarius has to be able to stay here."_

Midnight continued to warp the space around him and studied the belt looped around Lucy. Hooked to her side was a keyring, full of gleaming and powerful keys. A sinister grin graced the boy's face.

"You sure have a lot of keys," Midnight mused, licking his plum lips.

Lucy narrowed her eyes in suspicion and answered, "Yes. They're all my dear friends."

"Oh? Well after I kill you, I'll be taking those friends of yours with me."

"What? What use could you have for them?"

Midnight shrugged and answered, "I have an old comrade that is also a celestial mage, though she is stronger than you. They would make an excellent gift."

"I won't let you take my keys!" Lucy shouted. "Sagittarius, keep him distracted!"

"Understood!" the spirit replied.

Midnight scoffed, growing tired of the endless arrows sent his way. Sure, he could dodge and keep his hold over Lucy's clothes, but that would require too much concentration he wasn't sure he had. One slip up could mean an arrow through the eye.

Unfortunately for him, however, Lucy wasn't going easy. The blonde dashed forward, ready to throw a barrage of her own punches and kicks. They were nowhere near as strong as Natsu's, but they were enough. Midnight smirked, dodging her punch and slapping her with the back of his hand.

"You think I don't know how to do hand-to-hand combat while warping objects?" he jibed with a smile. "It's the most obvious play in a fight against someone like me."

Lucy sneered at the boy as she wiped the blood that trickled from her mouth. Alright, so she wasn't expecting that. From his appearance, Midnight looked to be on the weaker side of the scale and she definitely didn't expect him to perfectly counter her attack _while_ warping Sagittarius' arrows. And since hand-to-hand combat was her worst ability, she didn't believe she could beat him in a battle of fists.

Midnight calmly stared Lucy down. It was clear that the girl was still a novice when it came to magic, not even having a year's worth of training spent. Soon enough, her magical energy would run out and Sagittarius would be sent back through his gate, leaving her all alone and powerless. Killing her would be easy then. But then again, there was a way he could make his time awake somewhat amusing. Not to mention end their fight quickly so he could sleep again.

Lucy kept on her toes as she watched Midnight's smile grew, the eyeliner making it even creepier. He was up to something, that much was obvious. The only question was what?

A snarl sounded from behind and Lucy turned on her heel to find a pack of rabid wolves, their teeth sharper than Natsu's and their eyes full of hunger. They were looking at the blonde as if she was going to be their first meal in days. Suddenly, the leader of the pack leapt towards the blonde.

Lucy shrieked and jumped back, grabbing for her whip. To her surprise and upmost dismay, however, the weapon was no longer there. The wolf pounced on her and sheer terror ran through her body. A pained cry escaped her mouth as the dog clamped its jaw over her calf, his teeth piercing her skin and drawing blood. Soon enough, the rest of the pack joined and started tearing her flesh.

All Lucy could do was lay there in a puddle of her own blood as tears pooled in her eyes and streamed down her face. The pain was unbearable. To make it worse, her body wouldn't even go numb. At least if she was numb she wouldn't feel the pain of her death. Life wasn't even giving her that much. No, she felt every ounce of pain the wolves were giving her.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Midnight's voice rang out.

Lucy managed to pry her eyes open but only blackness awaited her. Everything was pitch black, she couldn't even see the wolves that were tearing her apart. Though she could definitely still feel them. Her heart sped up even more than it already was out of fear. She was always-

"You've always been afraid of the dark, haven't you?" Midnight taunted. She could just imagine the smirk on his face. "It's understandable. You never know what is lurking in the darkness, what is waiting to attack."

To Lucy's utter relief and surprise, the wolves that were clamped down on her vanished, though they left the pain. Her relief didn't last long, however, as something crawled over her face. She had experienced that dreaded, ticklish feeling enough times to know that it was an insect crawling on her.

Too tired to squel, Lucy simply shook her head weakly but the disgusting feeling only grew until it felt like her body was infested with bugs.

"It must be a nightmare not being able to see the threats that attack you," Midnight jibed. "Having a bucket of spiders dumped on you isn't pleasant, is it?"

Lucy whimpered, disgusted at the thought. Not only was she physically drained after being attacked by the wolves, she was now emotionally drained and traumatized. Thus, she laid her head on the rocky ground and awaited her death.

Until an image of Natsu flashed through her mind.

" _I can't give up,"_ she thought. " _Not when I promised I would make it back. Natsu is waiting for me. Happy too!"_

Mustering all courage and willpower she had, Lucy staggered to her feet and panted heavily. She could feel the blood oozing out of her body in various places and was surprised she could even stand.

"You may know my fears," Lucy began between pants, "but you don't know my courage."

"Courage?" Midnight sneered. "You think standing up makes you courageous?"

The blonde nodded. "I am standing up to my fears. You can throw anything you have at me but I will always get back up! I won't let any fears hold me back!"

Midnight frowned in distaste as he watched Lucy stare defiantly ahead into what for her was total darkness. Usually those that were in his nightmares were already dead by now. But this blonde bimbo had more courage than he expected. Perhaps he could end that.

And have a fun time doing it, of course.

Lucy held onto her limp arm, which was basically lifeless. She couldn't move it in the slightest, along with her right leg, which she was grateful she couldn't see. Judging by the pain she felt earlier, the girl figured the wolves didn't leave much to look at.

"So you aren't afraid of the spiders anymore, hmm?" Midnight mused. "Alright, let us get a bit more personal then."

Lucy gasped as a familiar yelp sounded behind her. Turning around, the girl found Natsu, completely mutilated and at the hands of two men, all of which joining her in her dark prison. To the left of them were Happy and Charle, bloodied and bruised. They were all she could see in the darkness and it wasn't a refreshing sight. Tears pricked her eyes as she scampered towards them, ignoring the pain that jolted in her leg.

"Natsu! Happy!" she cried. "Charle! You guys, wake up!"

She gently shook Natsu, her hope fleeting when he didn't respond. With two fingers, she checked for his pulse, instantly paling when she couldn't find it.

He was dead.

They all were.

"No," Lucy breathed out in shock and dread. "This can't be… They can't be dead…"

"Oh but they are," Midnight replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"No. No! Bring them back!"

"We both know that isn't possible. The dead stay dead. Oh, that's right. This is your first time dealing with the death of a loved one!"

Lucy gasped as her apartment from Seattle appeared.

"W-What? How did you bring that here?" she asked.

Midnight ignored her and continued to taunt, "You haven't had any friends up until now. And you haven't had any family either. What a shame."

Lucy bit her lip as a silhouette of a couple holding a baby in their arms appeared.

"Don't you ever wonder where your parents are?" Midnight asked.

"Stop it," Lucy whispered.

"They just abandoned you in the woods. What a cruel fate. They clearly must not have loved you."

"I said stop it!"

Midnight gave an ugly laugh and replied, "Alright. You can go join your dead friends now."

Lucy covered her face and sobbed, not in fear but for the fact that she lost the people she cared about. The pain she felt in her body was nothing compared to the pain she felt in her heart. So this was how it felt to lose somebody? Perhaps being alone in the first place was better.

No, that wasn't true. Lucy was glad she met Natsu and Happy no matter what. They were her first and best friends. The time they spent together was precious and she would never regret it or take it back, no matter how much pain she was in now. And soon she was going to join them.

Lucy took deep breaths to calm herself down. If she was going to die, she wanted to do so with a peaceful heart.

And luckily for her, calming down gave her the ability to think rationally.

" _Wait a second,"_ she thought. Her mind began putting the pieces together like a puzzle. " _How did he manage to bring my apartment from Seattle here? Only I can open portals to other words, which means he couldn't have done that. Which means it isn't real!"_

Lucy thought back to when things started going south.

 _"It must be a nightmare not being able to see the threats that attack you,"_ Midnight had jibed.

" _Nightmare,"_ Lucy thought. And then it all hit her like a brick. " _That's it! This is all an illusion!"_

"Open, Gate of the lion, Leo!"

A bright glow resonated in the room, driving away the darkness that had stained the cavern before. Loke stood proud and tall in his typical suit and shades, his fists glowing brightly. Lucy glanced around the cavern and found Midnight sprawled on the ground and groaning in pain.

"L-Loke!" Lucy shouted in joy.

Loke sighed and replied, "I almost didn't make it in time, Princess. You should be more careful. He was just about to kill you."

"I know, I'm sorry," Lucy replied. "I'm still in terrible condition so I need your help!"

The spirit arched a brow. "Terrible condition? Though you are much prettier without the blood dripping from your mouth, I don't think you are in terrible condition."

Lucy stared at her spirit in confusion. Was he blind? Then she glanced down at herself and gasped in astonishment. All of her limbs were completely fine and intact. There was no sign of rabid wolves at all. Which meant that even the pain she felt was just an illusion.

Midnight sure was strong, she had to give him that.

Loke smiled and held a hand out to Lucy to help her out. "Come on. There's still an enemy to beat."

The blonde nodded and grinned, turning back to Midnight who stared with widened eyes.

All of his hard work was going down the drain by some blonde that wasn't even too experienced with magic. How could he, the strongest member of what used to be the Oracion Seis, be defeated by a girl like that?

Loke and Lucy dashed towards Midnight, ready to attack.

"N-No!" Midnight shouted. For the first time in years since he was trapped in the Tower of Heaven he was starting to feel fear. "Stay away!"

The boy used his magic to tighten Lucy's clothes and cause her to trip. Loke, however, continued to run towards him.

"Regulus Impact!" Loke shouted as a lion manifested from his light. Delivering a harsh blow to Midnight's gut, the spirit left him finally down for the count.

Lucy grinned from where she was laying on the ground. That battle was definitely the most emotionally taxing fight of her life. So, she allowed herself time to rest. She definitely deserved it.

* * *

 **AN:** What do you guys think!? :D That was my favorite battle scene that I've ever written and it's all original! :D I could still use some work with battle scenes but I'm still really proud of this one! :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **Alexa60765, Shadow Joestar, Fanficcrazygirl, MasterGildarts, CupcakeGoddess22, Crazymagic16, HellsAngel1011, Nalulove, NaluPrincess, ThayetJade, FlaminkoMage, BloodedInk, Soul Eater Maka.**


	57. Chapter 57

**AN:** Hello everyone! I'm so glad you guys liked the battle as much as I did! :D It was fun torturing Lucy for that short time lol.

* * *

Chapter 57

Prince Ferdinand

Happy and Charle flew in their respective cave in a hurry. They could already sense their comrades fighting. Just moments before, they could sense a spike in Lucy's magical power as she went up against someone that had magic just as strong as hers. Their fight had ended since but they had no idea who was the victor. Not to mention the fact that Natsu was still dealing with his enemy.

Happy wanted to go help his friends but knew he had to stay focused on his own task. Someone had to help Charle and Wendy and that was going to be him. He was going to protect them with all he had.

At long last, the two were finally reaching the end of the tunnel. Their jaws dropped as they finally found other signs of life. On a dirtied mat in the middle of the room laid a man with dark skin and white hair. There were strange markings covering his face and a staff with a skull at the top by his side.

"That's Brain," Charle informed him. "Their leader."

"I can feel magic rolling off of him even though he's asleep!" Happy replied.

The white cat nodded. "Which is why it is imperative he isn't woken up. He is strong and since he's affiliated with the people that kidnapped us, he can't be up to any good."

"Aye. Let's just find Wendy and meet up with Natsu and Lucy!"

Charle flew ahead and led the way deeper into the tunnel until they reached a barred cell, inside of which was a young girl with dark blue hair pulled into long pigtails. Her eyes were puffy and bruised while grime covered her face, mixing with the blood that oozed from various- but thankfully not horrendously deep- wounds.

"Wendy!" Charle cried out, trying to pry open the bars.

The said girl couldn't lift her head so instead, she opted for letting her eyes glaze over her familiar friend.

"Charle," Wendy breathed out, her eyes watering. "What are you doing back here? Run."

"No! I'm not running again!" the cat protested. "I brought help!"

"Help?"

"Aye!" Happy answered, moving closer to the girl. "I'm Happy! My friends and I are here to help you!"

"Are they exceeds too?"

"No. One is a dragon slayer like you and the other is a celestial mage and also the savior to King Heartfilia's curse. It's a long story so I'll explain it when we get you to safety!"

Wendy nodded and watched as Happy and Charle pulled the bars with all their might, which truthfully wasn't much considering their magical power went solely towards flying rather than physical strength. To their upmost chagrin, the cell wouldn't budge no matter how hard they pulled. Their next option was to try squeezing through the gaps and find a weak point in the cell they could work with. Maybe the dragon slayer would have enough energy for a roar strong enough to at least make another opening.

Charle slammed her paws against the bars, realizing that there was nothing she nor Happy could do. Wendy was stuck in there.

"We need either Natsu or Lucy," Happy stated. "They would be able to get her out of there."

"But they're fighting right now," Charle reminded him. "We don't know if Lucy won or not and Natsu is still fighting."

"We'll just have to wait for them."

"Or for Wendy to have enough energy to break free herself."

"Whichever comes first."

* * *

Natsu groaned as he got up from the ground, wiping the blood that was dripping down his face. Fighting against Cobra was no doubt the toughest battle he had been in, and he was more than annoyed to admit that it was a battle he wasn't winning. Not yet at least.

Cobra managed to predict every single one of his movements, claiming that he could hear them. To make matters worse, apparently he could hear his thoughts as well. It was proving to be difficult.

Still, Natsu always managed to get back up and try again. He refused to lose to someone that claimed to be a dragon slayer when the only reason they could use dragon slaying magic was because they implanted a lacrima into themselves.

"Is this really all the old generation has to offer?" Cobra quipped, sending another breath of poison the pink-headed boy's way.

Natsu dodged and was going to deliver his own roar but the other mage was one step ahead of him, kicking him in the gut before he could do anything.

Natsu rose with a growl. Then, an imaginary lightbulb lit up as an idea came to his mind. If Cobra could read his mind, then all he had to do was not think!

Taking a deep breath, the boy cleared his mind of absolutely everything. Usually his mind was always thinking about Lucy, food, or fighting, but he shoved everything out. His mind was blank and now he was ready.

Cobra raised a brow and studied the other dragon slayer. Why was he just standing there? Furrowing his brows, the mage realized that he couldn't hear his thoughts anymore. Did he somehow nullify his magic?

In a sudden dash towards the enemy, Natsu started his counter attack.

* * *

Lucy's eyes fluttered open as she woke up in the cavern. Sitting up, the girl winced realizing that her body wasn't yet healed and she had to take things slow. Glancing around, she found Midnight was awake as well, still laying down in the spot that she had defeated him in.

"You slept well," Midnight stated, his voice hoarse. "I wish I could do the same. Don't worry, I cannot attack you anymore. Even if I could, the result would be the same. Celestial mages have quite the advantage."

Lucy frowned, replying, "Maybe the reason you can't sleep well is because of the suffering you brought people. Maybe guilt keeps you up."

The boy scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."

"Why did you guys do all of this? Usually people have motives for doing bad things. What's yours?"

"It's simple, really. We want the world to face the cruelty that we did."

"Cruelty?"

"All of us except for Father were taken when we were only children, used as slaves to create the Tower of Heaven. We were treated terribly. All I wanted was to be able to sleep but there wasn't a single night in which a nightmare didn't haunt me. The world went about their days happily, unaware of our suffering. Even when we were freed, the world was cruel to us, offering us nothing. That is, until Father arrived."

Lucy bit her lower lip. From reading the newer version to Erza's story, the blonde got a hint of what the Tower of Heaven was and what exactly transpired there. While Erza was lucky to have somebody to guide her towards the light, these people had nobody and were forced to join the darkness.

Truly, Lucy could understand their feelings. She would never agree with their actions, but she understood what brought them about. Things in Earth were similar at times. It seemed that every world could be cruel.

"Father took us all in and gave us food, clothing, and shelter. At the time, there were five of us. Hoteye left quickly though as he found his long lost brother. Angel left eventually too, having found her sister. That left us three. Father gave us a reason and the opportunity to keep living," Midnight stated.

Tears pricked his dark eyes as he continued, "We aren't stupid. We know that we are mere pawns in Father's plans, but we are grateful for him. He is the reason we are all alive today and that was why we were going to revive him."

"Instead of trying to revive someone that didn't care about you, maybe you should've spent that time with people who did," Lucy replied.

"Like who?"

"You three have been together since you were children. And that Hoteye person and Angel. You all went through the same experiences and pain. You're telling me that no bond developed over that time? This Brain guy isn't your family. The others are."

Midnight's eyes grew from the girl's words. Had he truly had a family this whole time without realizing? That couldn't be true. This girl was trying to trick him, trying to change his ways.

Lucy rose to her wobbly feet, leaning onto the wall for support.

"I've gotta go make sure Happy and Charle are okay," she stated, taking slow steps out of the cavern.

"Wait," Midnight called out. "You are going to just leave me here?"

The blonde shrugged and answered, "I have something more important to do right now."

"But I'm the enemy!"

"If you're going to run, then run. I already know your plan, so if you do it again, I'll face you off. Like you said, celestial mages have the one-up against you. But I think you already know what to do."

With that, Lucy traveled down the cave as fast as she could, leaving Midnight in his confusion. He laid on the ground, staring at the ceiling.

" _Perhaps there is more for us."_

* * *

Natsu's counterattack didn't last long. While he wasn't thinking, he finally managed to get a few good hits in. But Cobra quickly recovered, grabbing the other dragon slayer's incoming fist and burning it with his poison. The pinkette reeled back, his flesh burning while purple mist enveloped his hand.

"My poison will slowly kill you," Cobra stated. "But this is getting old. Let's finish this."

"Fine with me!" Natsu snarled, his body throbbing in pain. He could feel the poison from multiple attacks spreading through his body. If he wasn't healed soon, he was going to die. But before that, he had to make sure to deal with this guy soon so that Lucy and Happy would be safe.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu shouted, jumping high in the air while his flames enveloped him.

Cobra smirked and shouted, "Poison Dragon's Twin Fang!"

The maroon-haired boy's attack overpowered Natsu's, sending a new rush of poison his way. Natsu fell back to the ground, coughing up blood. His time really was running out fast. Enraged, he cried out his frustrations while punching the ground.

And that was when he found Cobra's weakness.

When Natsu was yelling, Cobra winced. It was only slightly and barely noticeable, but his yelling hurt him. All dragon slayer's had great sense of hearing, but Cobra's ears were definitely the best. Just like smells could affect Natsu more than his friends, sounds should affect Cobra more.

With a mischievous grin, Natsu rose to his feet, swaying unstably. Then, wasting no time at all, he shouted a string of curse words at the top of his lungs, words that he was sure Lucy would smack him for. He put all of his energy into his cries, glad to see them working.

Cobra quickly covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes tightly. He was hunched over in pain, hissing at the incoming sounds. Natsu took that to his advantage and dashed forward, delivering flaming punch after punch until finally, he was unconscious.

Grinning from his victory, Natsu allowed himself to fall backwards. The poison was pumping through his veins, threatening to end his life, but the boy was content. His friends would be safe and that was enough for him.

Little did he know that Racer was no longer in the tunnel with him.

* * *

"Lucy!" Happy cried as he noticed the blonde staggering towards them.

The blonde smiled at him before glancing around, immediately noticing the cursed man sleeping. Then her eyes glazed over Wendy, taking in the blood and grime. Hurrying her pace, she wobbled towards them and leaned against the bars.

"How is she?" Lucy inquired.

"How do you think she is?" Charle snapped irritably. "We need to get her out of there now!"

"Do you think you can summon a spirit?" Happy asked.

Lucy nodded and answered, "I think I have enough energy to summon just one. Loke used too much of his power helping me earlier. I don't want to break anything in case it huts Wendy, so I'll summon Virgo."

With a swish of her key, Virgo appeared with her typical dullness.

"Is it time for punishment, Princess?" the maid asked.

Lucy sighed and answered, "Of course not. Can you make a tunnel to get to her?"

"Of course."

The pinkette drilled underground and appeared on the other side of the cell within seconds. With gentle hands, the woman swooped Wendy into her arms and jumped back through the hole and onto the other side. Charle, Happy, and Lucy crowded around the young girl, checking her injuries.

"They aren't too deep," Lucy assessed. "She'll be fine, but we should get her out of here as soon as possible. We don't want to risk infection."

"What about Natsu?" Happy asked.

"We'll find him and then we'll get out of here. C'mon, the sooner the better."

Wendy's ears twitched at the sound of something rustling behind Lucy. It was moving at incredible speeds, though a bit slower than usual. It wasn't hard for her to figure out that it was the man that had been assigned to watching her. In the flash of an eye, Racer stopped just behind the unsuspecting Lucy, his leg raised in the air and ready to deliver a nasty kick.

Wendy didn't have time to think as she shouted, "Get down!" Happy dragged Lucy and Charle down the ground, giving her an opening. Opening her mouth wide, the girl mustered up the magical power she had been slowly regaining. "Sky Dragon's Roar!"

Though Racer was fast, his wounds from his battle with Natsu left him slow enough that he couldn't dodge. The tornado-like attack hit him straight on, leaving his body with scratches all over and he was out cold.

Lucy and Happy's eyes were wide as they hesitantly sat up, whipping their gazes between Racer and Wendy. The small girl definitely packed a punch, that was for sure.

"I know I just met you," Lucy began, standing back up. "But I have to say, Wendy, you're scary tough."

"Aye," Happy agreed while Charle huffed expectantly.

"Of course she is," the other cat said.

Wendy giggled and with that, the group traveled back to the fork in the road, Virgo carrying Wendy the entire way. They then started their way into Natsu's path, on edge and ready for any other sudden attacks. As they traveled deeper, they noticed purple mist and fires that had yet to be put out. They were getting closer. Soon enough, they were entering a cavern, littered with two unconscious bodies, one of them being their friend.

"Natsu!" Lucy and Happy cried in unison, running straight for the boy.

His body was ghostly pale and his wrist was raw, covered by the purple mist they saw before. Blood oozed out of his mouth and several other injuries, but what they couldn't see were his insides turning black with poison.

"He's poisoned," Wendy stated with a meek voice. "I need to heal him now or else he will die."

"But what about your own injuries?" Charle asked, admittedly selfishly. She could become selfish when it came to her best friend. "You just used a lot of magical power on Racer!"

"I'll be fine. I need to focus on Natsu-san first."

Virgo gently placed the child in front of the unconscious boy. Wendy had a hard time sitting up for her head felt heavy. Still, she wouldn't give up. Not when the reason he became so injured was because he was trying to help her.

Placing her hands over Natsu's body, Wendy closed her eyes and concentrated on her magic. Her hands began to glow and to the group's relief, the purple mist began to disappear and the skin on Natsu's wrist healed. The toxins inside of his body were being destroyed, purifying his body once again. Though she didn't have enough energy to heal all of his wounds, she managed to get rid of the poison.

"Natsu-san will be fine now," Wendy stated, wiping the sweat from her brow. Virgo picked the girl up before she could fall.

"Let's get out of here then," Lucy instructed, carrying Natsu on her back. "I'm getting real tired of how dark it is."

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

"We need to get Wendy checked out," Charle added.

The said girl shook her head. "First we have to save Chelia! I'll be fine!"

The group gave a collective nod and left the hideout, ready to find the sleeping Princess and wake her from the curse.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm gonna be honest, when Wendy was first introduced I didn't like her much. But now I have so much love and respect for her and she's had such an amazing character growth!

Anyways, thanks a bunch to the reviewers: **HellsAngel1011, MasterGildarts, CupcakeGoddess22, Shadow Joestar, HollyDragneel, ThayetJade, lkityan02, Crazymagic16, Alexa60765, Fanficcrazygirl, DaddyDragneel, Soul Eater Maka, Arethelya, Lunahartz, FlaminkoMage, Nalulove.**


	58. Chapter 58

**AN:** Yay we're at 800 reviews! :D Because Crazymagic16 was the 800th reviewer, they got to ask one question they wanted to know which was: Is Beauty and the Beast going to be in this story. Which is what just about everyone has been asking since I posted this story lmao. The answer is YES. It is the last story of the book! :)

* * *

Chapter 58

Snow White

While being carried in Virgo's arms, Wendy led the way out of the cave and towards the direction of where Chelia was sleeping. It had been a bit over a year since she had seen Chelia and she hoped she was going the right way. Tears pricked her eyes at the thought of seeing her dear friend once again.

Charle was of course Wendy's best friend and always would be, but there was something different about Chelia. Wendy couldn't quite name it, but their friendship just wasn't the same. Her body acted strangely around the god slayer. Her cheeks would turn pink, her heart would race, and warmth would spread through her entire body.

At first when she started having these strange symptoms, Wendy would attempt to cure herself using her magic, believing it to be a fever or some other ailment. When it didn't work, the girl knew it was something else but still couldn't figure it out. But at that moment, it didn't matter. Waking Chelia up was her top priority.

Charle's brows furrowed and her paws formed tight fists as she stole a quick glance of her best friend. As great as it felt to finally have both of them escape Oracion Seis' clutches, it did nothing to dispel the guilt she had felt when it all started.

"Wendy…" the cat began anxiously.

The said girl peeked towards her companion and arched a brow. "What is it, Charle? Are you tired?"

"No, it's not that. It's just… I'm sorry for everything I said before we got taken! I shouldn't have said any of it and I wish I could take it back!"

Wendy smiled forgivingly and replied, "It's okay, Clarle. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. You were right in the end. I shouldn't have doubted you. If had just listened to you, we wouldn't have gotten taken for so long."

"I still shouldn't have said such horrible things!"

"I said hurtful things as well. I hope you forgive me."

Natsu reached over and tussled the other dragon slayer's hair. With a bright grin, he stated, "If you're both sorry and you both forgive each other, then let's leave it at that. No need to be so hung up over the past!"

The two girls smiled at each other and nodded, wiping the unshed tears out of their eyes. Lucy smiled at them, glad that things were alright in the end.

Just then, her stomach had a familiar, magnetic feeling that she remembered from when she found Mira and Charle.

"She's close!" Lucy exclaimed, stopping in her tracks and glancing around.

Unlike the spot Ivan cursed Mira, the spot the Oracion Seis chose for Chelia wasn't hidden whatsoever. Laying out in the open was a young girl with pink hair tied into pigtails with yellow ribbons. Lucy wouldn't have guessed she was a princess considering she didn't exactly dress like one, wearing a blue mini skirt with black socks that went up to her thighs. Her top was strange with a blue center and pink collar, another yellow bow tied around her neck. Did all princesses dress like that?

"Chelia!" Wendy and Charle cried.

Virgo placed the blunette by the sleeping child's side. Checking Chelia's heartbeat, Wendy gave a relieved sigh, informing the others that she was still alive. A frown then graced her lips, to the surprise of everyone else.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked in concern. "She's alive, right? All you gotta do now is wake her up!"

"I don't know how," Wendy confessed.

And Lucy understood immediately. Wendy was still a young girl and never had an adult to help her with the feelings she held towards the other girl. She probably didn't even know that she was in love and was still in the confused stage of her feelings.

Lucy kneeled beside Wendy and smiled reassuringly at her. "You know, a simple hug would probably work."

"A hug?" the child questioned.

The blonde nodded, remembering her world's version of Frozen. There was no kiss to thaw Anna's heart, only the love from her sibling portrayed by a simple hug, which was why it was so popular in the first place. If Wendy wasn't sure of her feelings yet, she would have time to figure them out at her own pace.

Wendy raised a brow skeptically but reached towards her friend anyways. Happy had told her before that Lucy was the savior to the curse so she would put her trust in the older girl. Picking up her dear friend, the blue-haired girl wrapped her arms around Chelia and did her best to keep her limp body upwards. Resting her head on the pinkette's shoulders, Wendy shut her eyes and hugged tightly, putting whatever emotions she could into the action.

In seconds, Chelia's eyes fluttered open, revealing a beautiful shade of blue, as she inhaled sharply. Immediately noticing the head of blue that rested on her shoulder, the girl's cheeks turned pink and her eyes widened.

"True…" Chelia breathed out but stopped herself. She had long since been aware of her feelings towards her best friend and wasn't going to blab it out now, even though she was just rescued by an act of true love. Yes, she was aware of what was needed to wake someone up from a sleeping curse.

"Chelia!" Wendy cried out in astonishment, pulling away from the hug to take in the girl's face. Tears pooled her eyes as she exclaimed, "You're awake!"

"Y-Yeah, I am," the pinkette replied, wiggling her fingers just to make sure she could still move them. "How did you escape from Midnight and the others?"

"It's all thanks to Charle. She escaped and got us help."

Charle huffed modestly while Chelia smiled at the cat. Then the pink-headed child bowed, a symbol of upmost gratitude considering she was the Princess.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," she stated.

Charle smiled forgivingly and replied, "It's all in the past."

Chelia nodded and glanced towards the strangers that were watching them. "And who are these people?"

"They're the ones that defeated Oracion Seis!" Wendy answered. "That's Happy, an exceed like Charle! And that's Lucy-san! She's the savior to King Heartfilia's curse!"

"Seriously!?"

"Yep," Lucy answered with a giggle.

Wendy then pointed at the male pinkette and stated, "That's Natsu-san. He's a dragon slayer like me."

The two dragon slayers smiled at each other. A bond was forming even though few words were spoken between the two. It was the first time they were meeting other dragon slayers- Natsu didn't count Cobra since he wasn't taught by a dragon. They had so much to discuss! Which reminded Wendy…

"You three are staying here for a while, right?" she asked, worried that they would leave before she could ask Natsu about the dragon that raised him.

Lucy frowned and answered, "It depends on the next story. A lot of the times, we have to rush to help the next person. But we should definitely stay long enough to heal and regain some energy. We can't stay too long though…"

The blonde frowned as she glanced towards her partners. One was finally gaining feelings towards someone and the other was finally meeting someone that completely understood him. What if they wanted to stay with them? What if they only stuck with her because they felt obligated to?

"For now, we should get back to the castle," Chelia stated, standing up. She almost fell immediately but didn't thanks to Wendy catching her just in time.

"Aye!" Happy replied.

* * *

When they reached the castle, the group split up. Wendy, Chelia, Charle and Happy went straight to the infirmary while Natsu and Lucy were guided towards a hall full of guest rooms, their bedrooms being beside each other. Lucy filed into her room and plopped tiredly onto the bed. Another story was finally finished and she was reaching the end of the book.

Natsu closed the door and walked to the edge of the bed, staring at the blonde in front of him. It dawned on him that the two of them were alone and had time to themselves to act on whatever their relationship was and he definitely wasn't going to waste it. Lying beside the girl, he turned her around so that she was facing him and crashed his lips upon hers.

It had been too long since he was able to taste her and he missed it. His hands moved on their own and wound up in the girl's golden hair. The kiss was full of the passion they had been saving and held every emotion they felt. His teeth lightly tugged at Lucy's lips, a low growl resonating in his throat.

Lucy felt as though fire was coursing through her veins and her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She ran her hands over his hard chest and flushed when her fingers traced over his abs. Wanting more, the girl pushed her tongue into Natsu's mouth, moving like waves with his.

Pulling away in order to catch her fleeting breath, Lucy stared deeply into Natsu's onyx eyes. She brought a hand up to his face and softly grazed his cheek.

"I thought I lost you," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes.

"Because of the poison?" Natsu questioned, his voice quiet as well.

Lucy shook her head. "No. During my fight with Midnight, he used his magic to make me think that you were dead. I should've figured it out sooner that it was just an illusion but it all felt so real."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Don't be. You're right here in front of me and that is all I could ever ask for."

Natsu studied the girl laying in front of him, a light shade of pink spreading over his cheeks. Her face was flushed and her eyes held a brightness that rivaled the stars. It was no wonder he fell in love with her.

Leaning forward, Natsu placed his lips upon Lucy's once again, working in a slow rhythm. Lucy wrapped her arms around him, bringing her body closer to his. She blushed feeling her chest on his but continued kissing him.

A soft growl escaped Natsu as he rested his hand on Lucy's side. Everything he wanted- no, _needed-_ was right in front of him. His hand slowly trailed up the girl's side, gently grazing the lower skin of her breast. Hearing a sharp intake of breath, he retracted his hand at the speed of light, scared that he went too far.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, scared to look her in the face.

Lucy smiled and assured, "It's okay. I was just a bit surprised. I-I actually liked it."

Placing her lips on top of his, the blonde moved her hands to Natsu's chest and shyly tugged at the strange vest he wore. Receiving a curt nod, she slid it off of him and let her hands roam his greatly chiseled chest. With fire coursing through his veins, Natsu let his hand brush against the side of Lucy's breast, finding pleasure in the soft moan that escaped her lips.

Their bodies moved against each other in a constant rhythm, heat rising within them. Natsu slid his fingers slowly over the fabric covering Lucy's chest, just about to graze over the hardened nub that was poking through her shirt when a sudden knock sounded on the door.

The two broke apart immediately in pants, their eyes widened and their faces bright red. Lucy hastily smoothed out her hair while Natsu threw on his vest. The two laughed softly before he went to open the door.

"Yo, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed in a higher-pitched and all too suspicious voice, nearly causing Lucy to face-palm.

Luckily, the cat was too distracted with his own thoughts that he didn't notice and simply replied, "Wendy and Chelia wanna talk to you guys."

"Okay," Lucy replied. "We'll be right there."

Happy nodded before flying back through the halls, not waiting for the other two. Lucy and Natsu shared a sigh before smiling at each other.

"That was close," the dragon slayer stated with a smirk.

"Too close."

"But still good… right?"

Lucy smiled softly and answered, "Still good. W-We'll have to do that again sometime." She began to walk out the door but raised a brow noticing that her partner wasn't following. "Coming?"

"I-I'll meet you there," Natsu answered, his voice hoarse. Lucy shrugged and left the room, leaving the pinkette standing with his eyes trained on the ceiling.

" _Good thing I wear baggy pants."_

* * *

 **AN:** A lot of people asked about why Brain didn't wake up from all the ruckus so I wanted to remind everyone that he was put under a sleeping curse, so he could only be woken up by true love's kiss. Anyways, because there were enough reviews, here is a sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _Natsu and Happy tensed, sharing a wary look with each other before glancing at their other partner, who expectedly didn't seem too affected. After all, she was still in the dark about her identity._

Thank you to the reviewers: **MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, Soul Eater Maka, NALU(Amber), Crazymagic16, CupcakeGoddess22, ThayetJade, An Amber Pen, DaddyDragneel, Dragneel562, Guest, Fanficcrazygirl, XlNeko-ChanlX, Alexa60765, Nalulove.**


	59. Chapter 59

**AN:** Hi guys, sorry for the late update. Life is keeping me busy! Which is why I have to get rid of my updating schedule. I will try to update 1-2 times a week for this story. I have up to chapter 70 written but I haven't worked on this story in a while so I need to slow down the updates and really get to work on it again. Hope you guys understand. I'm sorry. I feel like everything is so inconsistent now. :')

* * *

Chapter 59

Bad Decisions

Natsu walked through the halls of the castle that he was unfamiliar with, letting Lucy's addicting scent, which was still lingering in the air, lead the way. A crooked grin was plastered to his grin and his steps had a skip to them. One wouldn't believe he used to be a grumpy thief by looking at the exuberant boy. His life had changed drastically and it was all thanks to Lucy.

Their new relationship was something Natsu was excited to work on. Though it was uncharted territory, the boy was no longer scared of the negative possibilities. Lucy felt the same about him and that was all he needed to know. Together they would learn and foster their relationship.

Reaching the infirmary as Chelia was persistent Wendy stayed there overnight, Natsu's grin grew tenfold as he saw Lucy standing by everyone. His eyes immediately darted to the soft skin he had just been touching moments prior but forced himself to keep his eyes only on appropriate places.

"Natsu-san!" Wendy exclaimed.

The said boy waved and replied, "Yo! How ya holdin' up?"

"I'm feeling great. Chelia's god slaying magic works wonders."

"So does your dragon slaying magic," the other girl stated.

Wendy smiled in appreciation before turning her gaze to the fellow dragon slayer. "So you were raised by a dragon too?"

Natsu grinned and nodded. "Yep! His name's Igneel!"

"Igneel? The Fire Dragon King?"

"Yeah that's him!"

"My mother, Grandeneey, spoke of him a couple of times!"

"Really?"

"Yep! I think they were friends!" Wendy chirped. "And now we're friends!"

Natsu ruffled the girl's hair. "We sure are. I never got to say thanks earlier for healing me. You sure are strong!"

The young girl blushed and replied in modesty, "N-Not really. Chelia can do the same, but her magic is stronger."

"Don't sell yourself short," Chelia replied, nudging her friend. "You're amazing, Wendy."

The said girl's blush deepened as she averted her gaze. Lucy nearly cooed at the sight. If the fact that Wendy had woken up Chelia with an act of true love wasn't enough to prove their feelings before, the blush on her face definitely was. Their feelings were innocent and adorable and the blonde was sure that they would be an amazing couple one day.

"So Chelia, how's the kingdom taking your return?" Happy questioned.

The child smiled sadly and answered, "It hasn't been revealed to everyone yet but I'm sure there won't be a huge reaction."

"Why not? You're the Princess!"

"That is my title but I don't really act like it. I'm still young and I have a few more years until coronation. Since my parents died, I've had advisors make most decisions for the kingdom because I'm still young and there are some people that think a Princess shouldn't rule on her own."

"But Gray rules his kingdom on his own!"

"Prince Fullbuster? Well that's because he's a male. The royal life for females is very different. That's why the citizens probably didn't care too much about my disappearance. The only princess that caused an uproar over her disappearance was the daughter of King Heartfilia."

Natsu and Happy tensed, sharing a wary look with each other before glancing at their other partner, who expectedly didn't seem too affected. After all, she was still in the dark about her identity.

"King Heartfilia's daughter went missing?" Lucy questioned.

"You haven't heard?"

"Let's just say I'm not from these parts. I knew that there was another Princess that went missing but I didn't know it was his daughter."

"Oh. Well yes. I don't know much about her since she went missing before I was even born, but apparently she was taken by a traitor the day she was born. That was the start of King Heartfilia's misery. After the Princess was taken, the Queen passed. He was left with nothing."

"Th-That's so sad…"

"Have you ever seen the floating lanterns, Lucy-san?" Wendy questioned. "Everyone all over continent releases floating lanterns on the day the Lost Princess was taken to remember her. Though it's sad, it truly is a beautiful sight."

"I haven't. Hopefully the Princess returns. Even though King Heartfilia made wrong decisions, I think it would be good for him and for everyone else."

Wendy nodded in agreement before shyly glacing towards Natsu once again. Lucy picked up the look immediately and understood. The girl wanted to ask about the dragons, probably not in front of everyone else.

"Hey, how about we let the dragon slayers heal, huh?" Lucy suggested. "They definitely had the worst injuries so let's give them some time to rest up."

"What about you, Lucy?" Happy asked. "You were hurt too."

"I'll be fine! I just have a few scrapes and bruises! Let's go!"

Without letting anyone object- particularly the exceeds considering they were a bit clingy towards their human companions- Lucy ushered everyone out of the room, giving Wendy a quick wink before closing the door behind them. Wendy smiled in appreciation while Natsu sat on the bed adjacent to hers. Both had so many questions to ask.

"So you were raised by the Fire Dragon King, huh?" Wendy mused. "C-Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it," Natsu answered. "I have questions I wanna ask you too."

"Okay, well, umm... Did your dragon disappear one day?"

Natsu frowned seeing the pain deep within Wendy's eyes. It was pain that he knew all too well, pain that would stick with him until he found Igneel. Happy's birth eased his heart and Lucy's arrival was the final piece of tape that mended his heart back together, allowing him to finally feel content with what he had and to hope for a future with or without Igneel. Still, there would always be some lingering pain for his father.

"He did," Natsu answered, his lips setting in a grim line while his fingers curled to form fists. "Not too long after King Heartfilia casted the curse."

Wendy's eyes widened a fraction as she replied, "The same happened with Grandeeney. What do you think happened to them?"

The pinkette's shoulders sagged as he answered, "I don't know. It's hard to believe that someone or something drove them away. They're dragons, they almost always win. And if there was a fight, then we would've noticed."

"That is true. D-Do you think they're…"

"They're alive. Have faith, Wendy. One day, we'll find both of them. You actually handled all of this better than I did. You made friends and you're living your life happily. I spent too long looking and not enough time living. It wasn't until a friend of mine came along that I realized that."

"A friend?" Wendy repeated with a knowing smile. "You mean Lucy-san?"

Natsu's cheeks tinted pink. "How did you know?"

"It's very clear that she's someone you care about deeply. And it's clear she feels the same."

"I guess you could say that."

Wendy giggled and stated, "I'm sure Igneel would love to meet her one day."

"I'm sure he would too," Natsu replied with a wide grin.

The two dragon slayers sat there in content while asking each other an array of questions, most being about their respective dragons until they branched into different topics in hopes of getting to know each other. It turned out Wendy had a deep hatred for pickled plums. Strange, but amusing.

* * *

Later that evening, Natsu leisurely strolled into Lucy's room without bothering to knock. As always, the blonde screeched insults and threw the nearest objects at him, lecturing him about manners, to which he would cackle. It was all for show now anyways seeing as how she definitely wanted him to join her in the room.

"Where's Happy?" Lucy asked as she sat on her bed. After leaving Natsu and Wendy to talk, Chelia had some business to take care of due to her absence and the blonde figured she would give Happy some time to try to woo his female counterpart. Since then, she had been resting in her room.

"He's still off with Charle," Natsu answered, sitting beside her. "I think he's got it bad."

"I could tell. You think he stands a chance?"

"Of course! It's Happy we're talking about!"

"But Charle is so guarded. I think it would take some time to make things work. Which is why Happy might want to stay here."

"You're still going on about that?" Natsu asked with a huff. "I already told you, Luce. We ain't leaving you."

"Well _you_ said that. Happy didn't," Lucy argued. "This is the first time he has feelings for someone, Natsu. He might not want to give it up and I don't want to force him to."

"You won't, trust me. But if it makes you feel better, you can ask him tomorrow. For now, it's just you and me."

The corner of Natsu's lip turned upwards into a smirk as he leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Lucy's, who savored the endless supply of warmth he had to offer. Their kiss was slow and steady, innocent and pure. Neither had any intention of letting the kiss stem into something steamier as they needed a break to relax.

Pulling away, Natsu rested his forehead against Lucy's, the two of them smiling at each other. They didn't need to say anything, their emotions already being displayed through their eyes.

"C'mon, Romeo. My body is killing me and I want to lay down," Lucy stated as she situated herself in bed.

"Romeo?" Natsu repeated. "Who's Romeo?"

"Oh forget it. I swear, one of these days when I figure out how to work my portals, I'm taking you and Happy to Earth just so you can see what it was like and understand all of the references I make."

"Nah, I'll just keep it simple and assume you're weird."

Lucy chuckled softly and snuggled her back closer to Natsu's chest. Even in the cold winter, he could still keep her warm, one of the many perks of dating a fire dragon slayer. They stayed in that position, using every second of time they had alone together.

Natsu played with the ends of Lucy's hair, admiring the shine each strand held. Her hair was so golden, it seemed right that she wielded golden keys that summoned spirits that arrived in golden lights. Lucy was the epitome of light in every aspect.

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy began, fiddling with the top of the covers, "when did you start having feelings for me?"

A blush worked its way to the boy's cheeks as he shrugged. "I don't know. It just happened."

"I guess that makes sense. The same happened for me."

"Really?"

"Yep. Maybe Juvia rubbed off on me."

Natsu chuckled and buried his nose in the blonde's hair. It was true that he didn't know when his feelings developed, but it didn't matter. So long as he had them, he was never going to let them go. He was never going to let _her_ go.

* * *

A few hours later, Natsu tiptoed out of Lucy's room, glancing both ways to make sure nobody saw him leaving. When the coast was clear, the boy entered his room. Happy wasn't there yet but their belongings were.

Slouching in bed, Natsu let his thoughts wrap around Lucy, just as they always did. Things were going well between them, greater than he could've ever imagined. Their friendship was still thriving, the only difference being the occasional kisses and sultry touches thrown in the mix during their free time. He was the happiest he had ever been, even when Igneel was still around.

Which was why he couldn't lose her no matter what.

Natsu thought about the blunt warning Loke gave him just over a week ago. He had told him to give Lucy time but not to stall. And he agreed. The only problem was now he wasn't sure he could do it.

" _If I tell her, she'll leave us. I can't lose her. I just can't tell her. I'll leave the decision to Happy."_

As if on cue, Happy flew into the room moments later, grinning at his partner.

"Natsu!" Happy exclaimed, glad to see his best friend up and moving after the ordeal with the Oracion Seis.

"Yo, Happy," Natsu greeted in return. "How was hanging out with Charle?"

"It was good. She accepted a fish!"

"Alright! Way to go!" Natsu's grin faltered as he continued, "Say, Happy…"

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something… It's about Lucy."

Happy gave the dragon slayer his full attention, immediately noticing that something was up. "What about her? Is something wrong?"

"I guess you could say that," Natsu answered, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I was just wondering if we could hold off on telling Lucy about her parents."

"What? Why? I thought we were going to come clean once she's ready! She seems ready to me!"

"I know, I know. It's just that… Things have changed."

"Like what?" Happy furrowed his brows and scolded, "You're being selfish, Natsu! We have to tell Lucy no matter what! She'll forgive us, I know she will!"

"But it's different now, Happy!" Natsu argued desperately. "Listen, Lucy and I are… You were right, okay? There's no fighting against the book, even when it talks about Lucy being my soulmate."

Happy's already large eyes grew tenfold while his jaw dropped to the floor. Could it be? Could it be that his dense friends had finally put two and two together and realized what he'd been saying from the start? Were they admitting their feelings for each other?

To answer the cat's unvoiced questions, Natsu informed him, "Lucy and I are in some sort of relationship now."

"WHAT!? AND NEITHER OF YOU TOLD ME!?" Happy screeched.

The pinkette sweat dropped and replied, "Well we knew you would just tease us about it so we were gonna keep it a secret for a while. Just to figure things out, you know? But I know that I want her forever, okay? I don't care how cheesy this sounds. I want her to stay and I can't risk her leaving."

"So that's why you want to keep it a secret again?"

Natsu nodded shamefully. He knew what he was doing was wrong but he just couldn't deal with the consequences. Perhaps if she found out years later, she would forgive him more easily considering they had spent more time together. It was unlikely, but it gave him some type of hope at least.

Happy frowned as he studied his best friend. He had never seen him so desperate before. How was he supposed to say no to that? To the guy that found him and raised him instead of leaving him alone to fend for himself. The guy that fed him and treated him as an equal despite being weak. He couldn't just throw his best friend under the bus.

"Fine," Happy reluctantly stated. "I'll keep it a secret."

Natsu exhaled a large sigh of relief and let his muscles relax. "Thanks, buddy."

"Be careful, Natsu. She's going to find out eventually."

"I know."

"And waiting longer will just make it worse."

Happy tucked himself into bed, letting Natsu think about what he was doing. Guilt gnawed on him like a parasite but his stubbornness wasn't letting up. He just couldn't put his relationship with Lucy at risk. Not when he was finally able to taste and experience things for the first time. Not when there was still more to experience. Not when he loved her so much that the mere thought of her leaving him nearly had him hyperventilating.

So, he would keep it a secret and allow the guilt to ebb at him. As long as he had Lucy, he would be fine. So long as she never found out.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked that chapter! :D

Thank you so so much to those that reviewed: **ThayetJade, Crazymagic16, KitKat2648, Soul Eater Maka, Arethelya, CupcakeGoddess22, Shadow Joestar, Alexa60765, MasterGildarts, HollyDragneel, Lunahartz, AsunaLushieChase, An Amber Pen, Fanficcrazygirl, Nalulove.**


	60. Chapter 60

**AN:** Hi everyone! I just watched Dragon Cry yesterday and ugh it was great. I wish I could've seen it subbed though. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 60

Puppy Love

Lucy awoke feeling absolutely refreshed, as if the emotional traumas of the day before hadn't happened. Midnight's nightmare magic was dreadful but after being in Natsu's arms for hours, feeling his warmth against her skin, she knew that things were alright. He was with her and he was there to stay.

Leisurely getting ready for the day ahead of her, Lucy hummed a tune she heard occasionally throughout Earthland. If there were radios in this world just as there were in Earth, the girl had no doubt it would be constantly playing until she could no longer stand it. But since she had only heard it from bystanders, it hadn't annoyed her yet, allowing her to hum to her heart's content.

She had to admit, she missed some of the technologies Earth had to offer. Earthland had substitutes for some, but they weren't what she grew up with, making them a bit more difficult to use. And some machines they didn't even have substitutes for. There were no printers to provide multiple copies of documents in minutes, no cameras to take pictures, and no social media to scroll through for hours on end.

But then again, Earth didn't have any fire dragon slayers. And that was something she considered a necessity nowadays. Oh, and a flying, talking blue cat, of course.

Yeah, she would choose Earthland over Earth any day.

After getting ready, Lucy left her room and traced her steps towards the infirmary where Wendy was probably still resting in. The younger girl's wounds weren't horrendous, but it was enough for the Princess of the castle to order her to bedrest.

Once the guard stationed outside of the infirmary allowed Lucy entrance- Chelia was very adamant on the extra protection after the Oracion Seis ordeal- the blonde gave a quick wave to Wendy, who was already awake and smiling brightly at her. To her surprise, Charle wasn't around, nor was Chelia.

Lucy hadn't yet spent time alone with Wendy, but knew the young girl had a big heart and that they would get along easily.

"Hello, Lucy-san!" Wendy cheerfully greeted.

"Good morning, Wendy," Lucy replied with a kind smile. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing well! Chelia already healed me and I'm feeling better than ever. I wish I could leave this room already."

"Chelia is probably still worried after everything that happened, how about we let her feel at ease just one more day, hmm?"

Wendy nodded albeit reluctantly, allowing herself to lean back in bed, unknowingly zoning out from her conversation with Lucy. In truth, a lot of things were on her mind, small talk not being one of them. First there was Natsu, the first other dragon slayer she met in the same situation as herself. Then there was the fact that she was just rescued from a group of dark mages. Then there was something the most confusing and perhaps more terrifying. And that was the strange feelings she felt around her dear friend, Chelia.

Since before she was captured, Wendy noticed her body doing abnormal things around her pink-headed friend. There were countless of times their hands would brush against each other and an unfamiliar warmth would course through her veins. Or the times that her stomach erupted with a tingling feeling. Not to mention all of the things her mind did. She found herself thinking about consciously touching Chelia, like holding hands and playing with her bright hair. Just what was happening to her?

Speak of the devil, Chelia skipped into the room, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her dear friend. Lucy felt out of place, knowing that the two girls were more than just friends, even if they didn't. Well, she had a feeling Chelia was aware. That just left Wendy.

"Hi, Wendy!" Chelia greeted, plopping beside the said girl.

"H-Hi, Chelia," Wendy replied, her cheeks growing rosy. Her eyes darted towards the other girl's hand, which was merely an inch away from her own. Her heartrate sped up tenfold just by being near the pinkette. What was going on?

Lucy recognized the young girl's expressions immediately and smiled knowingly. Poor girl didn't have a clue.

"Where have you been all morning?" Wendy inquired, snapping out of her travelling thoughts.

Chelia breathed a heavy sigh and answered, "You know the life of a Princess that's been captured and finally brought back. I have a bunch of meetings to go to because everyone is asking questions and filling me in on everything that happened over the time I was gone. As expected, not one person has said that they're glad I'm back."

"That's horrible!" Lucy exclaimed. "Aren't they supposed to respect you? You're the Princess!"

"Not all kingdoms are the same. Like I said, I'm a young girl with no Prince. They don't think that I can lead them, so I just leave everything to the elders."

"Maybe that's part of the problem. Do you want to be Princess, Chelia?"

The young girl frowned and answered, "Well yeah, but they aren't making it easy."

Lucy smiled and replied, "Well no job is easy. Take it from me. Being the savior isn't a walk in the park either. I'm sure some people look down on me because I'm not experienced. I'm no macho man but I'm doing a pretty good job."

"Well that's different," Chelia argued, crossing her arms.

"Maybe, maybe not. Point is, if you want to be Princess, then maybe it's time _you_ start calling the shots. Don't be some doll they can control and manipulate. Be the leader they need. Soon enough, they'll come to realize that you're a great Princess."

"I agree," Wendy chimed in with an encouraging smile. "Maybe we should stop acting like kids."

Hearing the words come from her best friend seemed to give Chelia courage as she nodded and grinned.

"You guys are right," she stated. "This is my kingdom and I'm going to start ruling it!" A frown then etched itself on her lips as she continued, "But that means I'll be more busy, Wendy. Are you sure this is okay?"

"Of course!" Wendy assured. "I live in this kingdom too and I want you as my Princess!"

Chelia nodded, determination settling in her eyes. As if on cue, one of the elders entered the infirmary, ordering her presence. The Princess nodded towards the other girls before following after the elder, though this time her chin was held higher and her shoulders were set. Now she looked like a Princess.

Wendy watched as her friend walked away, a blush coating her cheeks. The confidence Chelia displayed was enough to make her body do strange things again. The corners of her lips tugged downwards into a frown. She didn't like not understanding her feelings.

Under Oracion Seis' watch, Wendy spent many nights crying over her dear friend, who she couldn't help at all. The worry that settled in her was so thick sometimes, she threw up in the corner of her cell. The sheer panic she felt over what would happen to her friends was overwhelming. She didn't have time to think about these feelings or even experience them since she was so terrified.

But now she was back, her friends were safe, and yet these confusing thoughts continued to plague her over a year of being away from them.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Wendy glanced up, startled. Admittedly, she had forgotten that Lucy was there. Thankfully, it didn't seem the blonde was offended by it and instead smiled kindly at her.

"I-I'm just confused," Wendy stated, her gaze falling to the blanket covering her.

"Maybe talking about it with someone can clear things up," Lucy suggested. Before, she wanted to let the child figure things out on her own. But now it seemed that her unknowingness was troubling her. Perhaps a push in the right direction was just what she needed.

The red in Wendy's cheeks deepened as she nodded and swallowed thickly.

"My body has been acting weird lately," she explained, her voice timid. "Weird around Chelia…"

"How so?" Lucy questioned.

"It's a lot of different ways. But mostly it's just… _warm._ And tingly. Warm and tingly."

"Can you think of a possible reason as to why?"

Wendy shook her head, her frown deepening. "No, I can't."

"Alright, then how about you try thinking about when exactly they happen," Lucy suggested.

"Well, it's usually when we… touch. Or when I'm thinking about her… I-Is something wrong with me?"

"Not at all! Just think of it as part of growing up. Let me ask you this, do you want to be by Chelia's side forever?"

"Of course!"

"Do you want to live with her forever?"

"Well, yes."

"But what if she gets married? How would you feel?"

Wendy's frown grew tenfold as she tried imagining Chelia getting married to someone. Her stomach twisted almost painfully just at the thought.

"I wouldn't like it," Wendy answered, surprised. She never thought about it before. Now her confusion grew. Why would she care about Chelia getting married? Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing? She should've been happy for her friend… but she wasn't.

Lucy smiled and replied, "That's a good start to figuring things out. I think you already know how you feel, Wendy. I think you just need to admit it to yourself to feel better."

"Admit it to myself?" Wendy repeated.

"Yep. Pushing your feelings to the side doesn't work forever. Trust me, I've tried."

Wendy's mouth parted slightly as she took in the blonde's words. She was right. Wendy had read enough books to know what her symptoms meant. She had just been in denial. After all, who wants to hold hands and kiss someone if they aren't attracted to them?

Wendy was in love with her best friend.

"But… But isn't it wrong?" she asked, tears pricking her eyes.

"Huh?" Lucy asked, not expecting that. "What do you mean?"

Wendy clenched the blanket as she elaborated, "We're both girls. Isn't love supposed to be a boy and a girl?"

"Love knows no bounds," Lucy replied, putting a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Love is love. Nobody chooses who they fall in love with and isn't chained to something silly like genders. I'll admit, back in my world, some people were bigoted and didn't like it because they couldn't wrap their minds around it. Maybe some people here will be like that too. But that doesn't stop how you feel, does it?"

"No, it doesn't."

"Then screw them! All that matters is you and Chelia."

"But there's also the fact that she's the Princess," Wendy stated with a frown. "And I'm just a commoner. Even when I first came here, everyone in the castle looked down on me. I've even heard the elders advise Chelia to throw me out."

"And did she do that?" Lucy questioned.

"Well, no…"

"There you go. Chelia is Princess, right? Listen, only you and Chelia can decide your fates. Nobody else. As the savior, I won't let them. I'll come back here and have Natsu beat some sense into them if I have to."

Wendy giggled softly, feeling better after hearing that. Lucy was right. Nobody could control them, not anymore. They were finally freed from their prisons, they had to act out their freedom.

"Thank you, Lucy-san," Wendy stated with a genuine smile. "I feel better now."

"I'm glad," Lucy replied, mirroring the expression. "But don't go growing up too fast, alright? You two are still kids, take things slow."

"I will, I promise."

"Good."

"I think you should tell Natsu-san how you feel."

Lucy choked on her saliva, her eyes bugging out of her head. A light shade of pink dusted her cheeks as she stammered, "W-What are you talking about? We're talking about you, Wendy!"

The younger girl giggled and replied, "It's obvious you two care deeply about each other."

Lucy sighed and put a finger over her lips. "Alright, fine. Natsu and I may or may not have feelings for each other. But let's keep that a secret between us, alright?"

The younger girl nodded with a smile. For their first conversation alone together, things went by amazingly. Now, the two knew that they had a new companion they could trust with their hearts.

* * *

Lucy walked through the halls with a content smile plastered to her face. Her talk with Wendy was great but now that Charle was with her and Chelia was now free from her Princess duties, the blonde felt it was time to let them fully catch up. Besides, she missed her friends as well. She hadn't seen Natsu or Happy all day. Surely they missed her just as much as she missed them.

Knocking on their door, Lucy waited with an eager grin.

"Natsu! Happy! Open up!" the blonde called out. "Let's hang out and read the next story!"

"Come in!" Happy's voice beckoned from the room.

Lucy's grin grew, excited to see her dearest friends. The two were the most important people- or cat, in Happy's case- in her life.

Throwing open the door, Lucy was more than surprise to find cold water unceremoniously dumped on her. A startled shriek escaped her mouth, her hands wrapping around her arms, which were now covered in goosebumps. Her teeth chattered as she glanced up to find a now empty bucket strategically tied over the door.

Natsu and Happy cackled loudly, tears immediately brimming their eyes. Lucy's face was absolutely _priceless!_

"Natsu! Did you see her face!?" Happy asked between laughs.

"Sure did!" the said boy answered. "It worked, Happy!"

Lucy's jaw tightened as fury swelled in her stomach.

" _These jerks!"_ she thought, her hands forming tight fists as a vein ticked in her forehead. " _I can't believe that I spent all day missing them!"_

"You idiots!" Lucy cried in a shrill voice, tackling Natsu. The boy grunted after being knocked back and then assaulted with a barrage of slaps to the arm.

"She _liiiiikes_ you," Happy teased behind his paws. That is, until the blonde sent a murderous glare his way and snatched him by the tail. Oh yeah, they were definitely in for some deep shit now.

Pinching their ears, Lucy shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you idiots!?"

"Jeez, lighten up, Lucy!" Natsu replied. "We were waiting for you all morning but you never showed up!"

"Yeah! So then we spent the rest of the day making this prank!" Happy added.

"It took you guys the whole day to set that up?" Lucy questioned irately. "And why the hell would you use it on me?"

"Who else would we use it on? Wendy? Sheesh, you're cruel, Lucy! She's just a kid!"

"I'm going to skin you alive and feed you to fish."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me!"

Natsu grinned, wiggling out of the blonde's hold of him. Fetching Happy's knapsack, he reached inside and pulled out the storybook, holding it out to the blonde.

"Let's read the new story like you said!" the boy offered.

"Can't I dry off first?" Lucy questioned, looking at her drenched clothes with distaste.

"Nah. But since you're wet I'll let Happy read it instead."

"Aye!" Happy replied, accepting the book. Flipping through, he stated, "We finished a lot of stories together!"

"Did we?" Natsu asked, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Aye! We finished seven already!"

"Seven? Are you sure?"

"Some of them are intertwined stories, so it doesn't feel like we finished seven," Lucy reminded the boy. Her lips pulled upwards into a smile as she recalled the day they met. She had been confused and shaking with fear, thinking that they were going to murder her. "Seems like so long ago."

"Aye," Happy agreed, smiling as well.

"I'm glad you two were there that day in the East Forest," Lucy stated, smiling at her companions. "Who knows what would've happened if it weren't for you two."

"A lot of people would be dead right now!"

"And things would be so boring," Natsu added with a fanged grin.

"That's true," Lucy agreed, her cheeks warming at the look he was giving her mixed with the nostalgia she was feeling. "After all, it's more fun when we're together, right?"

"Aye!" Happy exclaimed while Natsu's grin grew.

Lucy giggled before remembering what they were going to do in the first place. "How about you read the next story now, Happy?"

"Oh yeah!"

The cat flipped through more pages until finally he landed on the next story.

"This one's called Cinderella," he stated.

"What a weird name," Natsu replied.

"Aye. Almost as weird as 'Lucy.'"

"My name is not weird!" the blonde screeched.

"Yes it is! I've never met anyone else named Lucy!" the cat argued with a grin.

"Well I've never met anyone named Happy! You have the weird name!"

"I've met plenty of people named Happy!"

"And I've met plenty of people named Lucy!"

"Yeah but you have no proof."

"JUST READ THE DAMN STORY ALREADY!" Lucy demanded, rubbing her temples irately.

Happy snickered and replied, "Alright! Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Cinderella. With golden hair and beautiful blue eyes, the girl was easily one of the most beautiful maidens in all the land. Though, nobody knew of her existence due to her older sister.

"Her older sister was fearful of the outside world and refused to let Cinderella see any of it. Cinderella loved her sister dearly but always wanted to live life more freely. Not wanting to betray her sister's feelings, however, she quietly obeyed, all the while longing for more."

"This sounds boring," Natsu complained. "There's nobody for us to beat up."

"I'd argue that that's a good thing," Lucy replied. "Keep going, Happy."

The exceed nodded and continued, "One day, the Prince held a royal ball in order to find a woman worthy of being the kingdom's Princess. Cinderella knew that would be a great chance for her to see some of the world, even if just for a night, and begged her older sister to let her go. Unfortunately, her older sister refused and took extra measures to make sure Cinderella couldn't go to the ball. Thus, she lived her life stuck inside the confines of her home, nowhere near content and unable to meet her true love."

"That's not too far off from my world's version," Lucy stated. "In my world, Cinderella had two cruel stepsisters and an evil stepmother. And the stepmother didn't do it to keep Cinderella safe, she did it to help her own daughters and because she just hated her. But everything about the ball is true and there isn't some psycho killer so that's good."

"For you," Natsu muttered.

"So what do we do?" Happy questioned.

"It's simple!" Lucy exclaimed. "We just have to get Cinderella to the ball and convince her older sister that the outside world isn't too bad!"

"And how do we do that?"

"We'll figure it out when we get there. We can ask Wendy and the others tomorrow if they have any clues as to where to go. For now, I'm gonna go shower."

Happy snickered and asked, "You sure you don't want Natsu to join you? Considering you're together and all."

Lucy turned red in the face as she whipped her head towards the said boy. "You told him!?"

"I couldn't help it!" Natsu said with a chuckle.

"They _liiike_ each other!" Happy teased.

"Ugh, shut up!" Lucy replied, storming out of the room. The smile on her face betrayed her words, however. After all, hearing that she and Natsu were really together would always warm her heart.

* * *

 **AN:** Any guesses as to who Cinderella could be? I'll give you a hint: I brought it up in chapter 19! ;D

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Crazymagic16, BloodedInk, ThatPixleDino, An Amber Pen, Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Guest, MasterGildarts, CupcakeGoddess22, Samantha Cummings, KitKat2648, ThayetJade, Nalulove.** You guys are awesome. :)


	61. Chapter 61

**AN:** This chapter is the last we see Wendy and the others for a while. :')

* * *

Chapter 61

The Dream

The next morning, the trio packed their things and got ready to begin their newest adventure. Cinderella seemed like the easiest story they had so far, which Lucy was grateful for. Though she liked the practice with her spirits and her whip, life-threatening battles were something she was never going to jump in joy for. Unlike a certain dragon slayer, who thrived off of them.

The three were in Lucy's room, as she still wasn't ready yet. It always took her the longest so it wasn't a surprise to any of them.

"Natsu, why don't you get us some food for our journey?" Lucy suggested, neatly packing her things into her bag.

The boy groaned. "Can't you do it? The lady at the kitchen hates me."

"Well that's because you're always loud and make huge messes she has to clean up. You deserve it."

Natsu crossed his arms and muttered under his breath. Reluctantly, he left the room in search of food they could bring.

Happy raised a brow at the two's interaction.

"You two aren't really different now," he mused.

"Is that a good thing?" Lucy questioned.

"Aye! It would be weird if you guys were extra lovey-dovey!"

The blonde giggled and nodded her agreement before a small frown graced her face as she remembered something important.

"Say, Happy…" she hesitantly began. "Speaking of lovey-dovey, what are you going to do about Charle?"

The cat's brows raised fractionally. He could tell the girl was upset about something.

"Well I already gave her all the fish I could," Happy answered, not quite understanding the question. "I don't know what else I can do."

"Well you like her, don't you?"

"Aye!"

"So don't you want to stay here with her?"

Happy cocked his head to the side and asked, "You mean while you and Natsu keep going with the story?"

Lucy nodded, her frown deepening. "The storybook is really my responsibility alone, I don't want to drag you away from Charle for that. If you want, you can stay here with her. I won't hold it against you."

"Wow, you really are dumb! You and Natsu are my best friends, I'm going with you! Even after we finish the storybook, I want to stay with you guys!"

"Really?"

"Aye! We're a team! I can always visit Charle after all this is over!"

Lucy smiled gratefully and nodded, glad that he chose to stay with them. Even if she would've been happy for him, it still would've sucked if they were to separate. He was one of her best friends, after all. Her smile grew.

"Why are you making that face? It's kinda creepy," Happy jibed with a snicker.

And that quickly put an end to Lucy's smile as she chased the flying cat around the room, throwing curse words his way.

Natsu entered the room, surprised to find his two friends running around the room. A fanged grin etched itself over the boy's lips as he watched. Being with those two was always fun and he couldn't wait to finish the book so that they could solely enjoy themselves. And in order to finish it, they had to get a move on.

"Hate to interrupt you guys, but we gotta get going," Natsu stated.

Lucy stopped and shot Happy one last glare before addressing the pinkette. "You're right. Let's go talk to the girls and see if they have any clues and say our goodbyes."

Heading towards the throne room where they all decided to meet up, Lucy frowned seeing all of the disapproving glances from the elders they occasionally passed. Chelia had a lot on her plate dealing with them. She hoped the younger girl would do well.

After being allowed in by a guard, the three immediately found the girls smiling and laughing with each other. Happy immediately rushed towards Charle, eager to spend the last minutes he had in Clover Town by her side.

"Oh, you guys are here already!" Wendy exclaimed, sending them a bright smile. It quickly turned into a frown, however, with what she said next. "Oh no! Does that mean you are leaving already?"

Lucy smiled sadly and answered, "Yep. We have to get a move on to the next story."

"But there are so many things I want to show you!"

Natsu ruffled the girl's hair and replied, "You can show us after we finish the book."

"Promise?" Wendy asked with a frown.

"Promise."

Lucy smiled at their interaction. Natsu and Wendy were obviously fond of each other, no doubt from their similar upbringings. He was like an older brother to her. A great one, at that. She briefly wondered what kind of father he would be, blushing at the thought of them having kids together.

"A-Anyways," Lucy started in order to get those thoughts out of her head. It was way too soon to be thinking about having kids. "We were wondering if you two would have a clue as to where we should go for our next story."

Happy quickly read Cinderella to the girls before shoving the book back in his bag. Wendy and Charle shared a glance and shrugged. Neither knew too much of Fiore, having only been in Clover Town and the mountains. Chelia, on the other hand, clasped her hands together.

"Oh! I know!" she exclaimed.

"You do?" Lucy asked with a hopeful grin. It was starting to seem the book helped in another way too. So far, every person they helped was able to help give the location of the next story.

"Yep!" Chelia replied. "My advisors were just telling me about a ball being held next week by a Prince. They told me I should go and make sure that everyone knows I'm back."

"Oh, are you going?" Wendy questioned.

"No, I decided to stay here and focus on restoring my place as Princess with my own people instead."

"So where is this ball being held?" Lucy inquired.

Chelia smiled and answered, "One of the most beautiful places in all of Fiore: Crocus!"

The color immediately drained from Natsu and Happy's faces as they shared a worried glance. Crocus was the royal kingdom, the location of Fiore's Grand King. The King that just so happened to be Lucy's father. Going to Crocus was no doubt risky.

"Crocus?" Lucy repeated. "Do you know how far it is from here?"

"By train, it's about eight hours. But that's without any delays."

Lucy squealed excitedly and exclaimed, "Yes! We can finally take a train somewhere instead of walking through that damn forest!" Turning to rub it in to her motion sick partner, she wasn't surprised that his face lacked any color. "Sucks for you, Natsu! But you're going to have to put up with it this time!" Then her eyes landed on Happy, who appeared as though he had just seen a ghost. "Are you okay, Happy? Are you sick now too?"

Natsu swallowed thickly, his fingers curling. Crocus was too risky. Lucy was practically a spitting image of the deceased Queen. There was no way somebody wouldn't recognize her, especially when it was her birth place. Crocus, home of the Heartfilias.

"Maybe we should just skip this story," Natsu meekly suggested.

"I know you hate trains, but we can't just skip a story because of it," Lucy scolded.

But he didn't feel sick because of the thought of transportation this time.

"Natsu-san, do you have motion sickness?" Wendy questioned.

"Yeah," the boy replied. "It's pretty bad."

"I actually know a spell to help with that!"

"Usually I wouldn't let her use this spell on anyone," Charle informed them. "But since you helped us out, I suppose I'll allow it."

"That's awesome!" Lucy exclaimed. "There you go, Natsu! Now there's no reason at all not to go!"

Natsu nodded but said nothing. Skipping a story wasn't an option, he knew that. They were going to go to Crocus whether he liked it or not. He would just have to do his best to keep Lucy out of sight as much as possible and pray that nobody would recognize her. Or if they did, hopefully they wouldn't approach them.

"Alright, I guess we better get going then," Lucy stated with a frown.

Tears immediately welled in Wendy's eyes as she threw her arms around the blonde. "Thank you so much, Lucy-san! Please visit sometime!"

"Of course," Lucy replied, hugging the girl back. Glancing at the girl's feline friend, she continued, "So long, Charle. Take care of Wendy and Chelia for us."

"I was already planning on doing so," the cat replied, crossing her arms. Her gaze then landed on Happy, who was staring at her with a frown glued to his face. "Don't make that face, Happy."

"But it's sad to leave you, Charle," he replied.

"You have to stay by Natsu's side, don't you? That should be more than enough reason to smile."

"Aye, you're right. Can I get a hug before I go?"

Charle looked him up and down hesitantly before giving a reluctant sigh. "I suppose it's the least I could do."

Happy grinned and wrapped his tiny arms around Charle, a familiar warmth erupting inside of him. The humans present smiled at the two's interaction.

"See you later, Wendy!" Natsu exclaimed, ruffling the younger girl's hair.

The child pouted, smoothing her blue locks back into place before wrapping her arms around Natsu's waist. Sobs instantly raked her body.

"Bye, Natsu-san!" she cried. "Make sure to visit soon!"

The pinkette grinned, hugging her back. "Will do. Make sure you remember what I told you. Live your life."

Wendy nodded and with that, the trio were walked out to the front of the castle. Wendy used a spell called Trioa, which was apparently going to temporarily rid Natsu of his motion sickness. The pink-headed boy didn't feel any different yet, so he was skeptical of its effects. Then, the trio were on their way, waving sadly to their newest friends.

Arriving at the train station, the three took their seats- Natsu slouching in his and preparing for the worst- and readied themselves for their newest adventure. Hopefully the story was as peaceful as the storybook suggested. Even Natsu figured he could use a break from fighting, and that was saying something.

Once the train began its departure, Natsu was absolutely astonished at how perfectly okay he felt. Even on some nasty bumps or turns, the boy's stomach stayed calm. Wendy's spell actually worked!

"You look pretty happy," Lucy noted with a smile.

"Because I am!" Natsu replied. "I don't feel sick at all!"

Happy snickered behind his paw. "Too bad the spell won't last the entire ride to Crocus."

Lucy giggled as she watched her two partners bicker with one another. A yawn escaped her mouth, so the blonde rested her head on Natsu's shoulder, who immediately stilled so as not to bother her. She couldn't help but smile at how comfortable she felt. Everything felt right in the world.

As Happy settled onto her lap, Lucy let her eyes droop closed, smiling sleepily as Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulder, allowing her to lean into him more comfily. With that, the three took a well-deserved nap, their minds blissfully stress free as they temporarily left their worries behind them.

* * *

A couple hours later, Lucy's eyes opened wide, quickly taking in her surroundings. Her neck had an annoying ache from being tilted to the side for so long, but she didn't pay any attention to it. Her mind was too focused on more pressing matters.

The blonde's cheeks flushed with heat and her heart practically thrashed underneath her chest. And it was all thanks to the dream she just had.

 _Lucy and Natsu panted harshly as they stopped their long sprint through the forest, finally escaping the enemy that was previously hot on their trail. Leaning against a tree, the blonde allowed her tiring muscles a needed break._

 _They had been fighting against a dark mage, who was plotting some cliché plan typical of a man that was practically throwing a temper tantrum. Things were headed south as the two couldn't find their enemy's weakness. Natsu had told her to run away, to which she hotly refused, staying put only to end up running away with him a few moments later._

 _"Why didn't you run, Lucy?" Natsu asked lowly. His voice had an edge to it she had never heard before. It was rough and scratchy._

 _"I would never leave you," the blonde answered, furrowing her brows. "I am not going to abandon my friends!"_

 _The boy's brows slanted in frustration as he stalked towards her, only stopping a mere inch away from her. They could feel each other's body heat, to which the blonde was wary of. After all, being so close to an angry fire dragon slayer may not have the best results._

 _Tension was rising between the two like the smoke that was practically rising from Natsu's body. Neither looked away, refusing to break under the other's piercing gaze._

 _"I don't see what the problem is," Lucy stated in annoyance. "We got away, didn't we?"_

 _Natsu looked as though his head was going to explode any second. "But you might not have! You should've ran away when I told you to!"_

 _"No!"_

 _"Yes!"_

 _"Why does it even matter now?"_

 _Natsu growled and grew red in the face. "Why? Because I'm in love with you!"_

 _Lucy closed her mouth as her eyes grew wide. Her heartrate sped up while her cheeks began to flare. "W-What?"_

 _"You heard me. I love you, Lucy. Got it? I can't stand the thought of something happening to you, why don't you get that?"_

 _"I-I get it."_

 _"Obviously you don't since you stayed!"_

 _"That's exactly why I stayed!" Lucy argued defiantly. "I can't stand the thought of something happening to you so I stayed to help because… Because I love you too."_

 _The two gazed into each other's eyes, searching for any hints of dishonesty. To their upmost delight and surprise, there were none._

 _Natsu's eyes darted towards Lucy's lips. Her tongue moved on its own and licked her lips, which caused the boy to smirk._

 _"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" he rhetorically asked, his voice carrying the depth of a thousand oceans._

 _"I don't want to hear that from you," Lucy replied softly._

 _Both leaned forward, their intentions clear as their eyes began to shut. Within tantalizingly slow seconds, their lips finally met with scorching passion. The pressure they exulted was incredibly soft and their lips hardly moved at first, but the emotions that they carried for months poured into the kiss and filled their bodies with a comfortable heat._

 _Lucy's hands wound up in Natsu's pink tufts of hair, while his found shelter on her lower back, clenching the hem of her shirt. They held onto each other tightly, pressing against each other. With the added pressure between their bodies came the harder pressure between their lips._

 _They found their rhythm immediately and nipped at each other, sucking the other's lips pleasantly. Their lips were like waves of an ocean, steady and strong. Lucy couldn't help but quietly moan into their kiss._

 _Not feeling nearly close enough, their hands began to roam. Lucy's ran over Natsu's chest while his slid onto her bum, squeezing the clothed, plentiful flesh. A shiver ran through the blonde's body having never been touched there before._

 _Still, they needed to be closer._

 _Lucy tugged on the hem of Natsu's shirt and immediately he threw it off, revealing his perfectly chiseled abs. Her fingers traced the skin between his pecs, slowly gazing his skin downwards until she reached the hem of his pants._

 _Without needing to say anything, Natsu removed his pants while she removed her shirt. Neither were embarrassed in the slightest, their hunger to feel the other's skin insatiable. Natsu's eyes roamed her body, a ravenous gleam in his eye._

 _Pushing her back against the tree, Natsu began to plant kisses over the Lucy's neck, enjoying the moans that followed his actions. He wanted to hear more and louder. Bringing his lips from her collarbone, he lowered himself inch by inch, nearing her chest. Reaching her hardened nub, he-_

Lucy shook her head feverously, her heart going haywire. Just thinking about her dream made her knees weak, even though she was still sitting. The dream hadn't stopped there, either. It kept going until they were making love on the forest floor, not quite the most romantic of places, but still it was all so passionate.

An unfamiliar warmth pooled in the lower pit of her stomach and a strange, tingling sensation occurred in the space between her thighs.

"Finally you're awake."

Lucy nearly jumped out of her seat, removing her head from Natsu's shoulder in order to look him in the face. Which was a terrible mistake as it only served to remind her of what exactly his face had been close to in her dream. So, the girl opted for staring at Happy, who was still snoozing away on her lap.

"N-Natsu! H-Hi," the blonde lamely stammered.

The said boy arched a brow. "What's up with you? Why are you so red?"

"O-Oh nothing! It's just a little hot in here!"

To her relief, Natsu shrugged it off, probably chalking it up to her being weird as usual. She sighed knowing she was off the hook. Or so she thought. In reality, that dream would continue to haunt her for a week.

* * *

 **AN:** Lmao what did you think of the dream?

Thank you to the reviewers: **An Amber Pen, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, NaluPrincess, Zyrothe, Shadow Joestar, Alexa60765, Nalulove, Lizz Cold 790, MasterGildarts, Lunahartz(BloodedInk), Crazymagic16, CupcakeGoddess22, Khrforever D, KitKat2648, Wolf Rodriguez, Soul Eater Maka, FlaminkoMage.**


	62. Chapter 62

**AN:** Everyone is getting antsy about Lucy finding out her identity lol. Time to add some more fire to the fuel! :D

* * *

Chapter 62

The Lost Princess

Lucy was a weird girl, Natsu had known. That was one of the many reasons that he had fallen for her rather than all of the other girls they had come across. She had hilarious faces he had never seen anyone else make, her face turned red at the slightest of teases, and she even preferred jelly over peanut butter in a PB&J sandwich. But this was just strange.

They had been riding on the train for a few hours, not even halfway done with their trip. Lucy had just awoken from her nap and was acting like a hot mess. Her face was redder than usual and she refused to meet his gaze. The boy wracked his brain for anything he had done to warrant such a reaction in the short time that she had been awake and he came up short. In fact, he hadn't even said anything to her before she started acting strangely.

Just then, the train took a somewhat sharp turn and all hell broke loose in Natsu's stomach. Immediately his cheeks puffed and his face morphed pale like a ghost. The spell Wendy had used on him officially wore out, leaving him unable to stay sitting up straight. The pinkette swayed side to side until eventually he fell to his left, his head falling onto Happy, who was laying in Lucy's lap. The exceed woke with a yowl, briskly moving out from underneath the dragon slayer, then moved to the seat on the other side of Lucy to resume napping.

Lucy tensed and her body temperature practically increased by a hundred degrees. After waking up from having a not-so-pure dream, here was Natsu, laying his face on her upper thighs. Sure, it wasn't like it was meant to be sexual or anything, but still. She couldn't help but think of her dream once again. Luckily his head was facing outwards, rather than towards her inner thighs.

Natsu noticed how stiff the blonde was underneath him but chose not to question it. Or rather he couldn't question her due to his motion sickness.

" _Nothing happened since she woke up,"_ he thought, trying to ignore his stomach's lurching. " _Maybe she had a bad dream or something."_

With no way of asking, Natsu decided to let it go for the moment. His stomach felt unbearably unsteady. Standing beside the toilet would've been a good idea, but the boy doubted that he would even be able to get there in the first place.

Lucy noticed the pained expression on Natsu's face. They had a long way to go and she admittedly felt a bit guilty. Walking all the way to Crocus wasn't an option for her, of course, but it didn't stop her from feeling bad. So, forcing her dream to the back of her mind, the blonde brought her hands to Natsu's scalp, gently massaging it.

The boy jolted at the sudden touch but immediately relaxed once again. Her massages never fully relieved his stomach of its queasiness, but it did help.

* * *

Natsu literally jumped for joy once the train came to a stop. It had been a torturous ride, but _finally_ they reached their destination. Rushing out of the train, the boy kissed the solid ground below him and wept happy tears for his now calm stomach. Lucy and Happy shared a collective sigh before following their third musketeer out of the train and into the station. With that, the three left the station to view the city of Crocus.

Crocus was by far the greatest city all three of them had ever been to. There were tall, regal buildings, large churches, and townspeople dressed in elegant clothing. There were also flowers just about everywhere. Every building had flower pots in front of them, sakura trees lined the sidewalks, and everyone wore multicolored leis and flower crowns. Crocus was breathtaking.

"This place is amazing!" Lucy exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "We should definitely move here once we finish the storybook!"

Natsu and Happy shared an uneasy glance.

"Uhh, that probably wouldn't be good," Happy replied. "The rent is too much here, we wouldn't be able to afford it unless we kept doing jobs that involved stealing."

"Yeah. And we have to look for Igneel too," Natsu added.

"That's true," Lucy replied with an understanding nod. "Well still, Crocus is beautiful! I'm sure this is going to be the best story so far! Oh! That reminds me! There's supposed to be a ball!"

"Ain't no need to be getting excited over some ball."

"What? Aren't balls supposed to be super fancy and fun?"

"I don't think 'fancy' and 'fun' belong in the same sentence."

"Oh hush. Have you guys ever been to one before?" Lucy questioned.

Natsu crossed his arms behind his head and answered, "Nah. They aren't our type of things." In a lower voice, he continued, "Besides, we're wanted criminals. That would be too risky."

"That makes sense. Well get ready for your first ball, boys! I'm so excited! I wonder if it's just like in the movies!"

"Well to find out we gotta find Cinderella."

"Is your weird stomach thing working, Lucy?" Happy asked.

"Don't call it that," the blonde chided. "But no, I don't feel anything right now."

"How the hell are we supposed to find someone in all of Crocus?" Natsu asked with a groan. "This is impossible."

"We've found everyone else, we can find them too! I'm not sure how, but we will!"

The trio continued farther into town, the streets getting busier. They didn't have a destination in mind or a plan for that matter, instead letting their feet aimlessly lead the way. For a moment, they forgot that they were on a mission of saving someone. They took in the beautiful sights, pleasant smiles on their faces. They were definitely going to enjoy their time once the storybook was over.

As they walked towards a big courtyard paved with bricks and decorated with colorful flowers, their jaws dropped to the ground. In the center of the courtyard was a magnificent statue of a baby made of gold. It sparkled even under the moonlight and captivated the breaths of the trio.

Lucy's stomach churned with something she couldn't name as she took slow steps towards the statue, her mouth parted slightly in awe. There was something about the statue that intrigued her in ways she didn't understand. It was like she was pulled towards it.

Next to the statue was a plaque, golden words inscribed into it.

"A statue for the Lost Princess," Lucy read aloud softly. "May the golden statue remind us all of the Princess' golden hair. We shall never forget the Princess so long as we live and pray for her safe return."

Brown eyes trailing back to the statue, Lucy's hand tentatively reached towards it. Her fingers grazed the gold, causing her stomach to lurch strangely. What was going on with her? Why did some statue make her feel like that?

Natsu and Happy shared guilty frowns. Natsu's hands were balled into fists as he watched Lucy unknowingly trace her fingers over a statue dedicated to her. This was going to be their hardest story by far, and not because of the ball. Keeping Lucy's identity a secret was going to be tricky, especially when everything reminded him of his guilt.

"We should get going, Lucy," Natsu said, glancing around warily. Someone was bound to recognize Lucy if they stayed out too long. It was too risky.

Lucy tore her eyes away from the statue and nodded. "You're right. How about we just check into a hotel for the night? We've been on a train all day, I think we deserve a good night's rest."

Receiving brisk nods from her partners, Lucy led the way on a search to find a cheap hotel. Though, that was impossible considering they were in the heart of Fiore. Crocus was basically a tourist hotspot with many attractions that Lucy and the others wished they could see.

After paying a hefty sum for a bedroom with a single bed, the three bustled into their room and dropped their belongings immediately and plopped onto the bed.

"Deguchi's rooms were cheaper than this place's, and that was with _two_ beds," Natsu said.

"I guess it can't be helped," Lucy replied.

"Aye," Happy agreed.

The three were thrown into an awkward silence. Lucy stared at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting back towards the golden statue she was entranced by earlier. There was something about it, she just didn't know what.

"Hey, guys," Lucy began, her eyes glued to the ceiling. "Do you guys know anything about the Lost Princess?"

Natsu and Happy tensed, the former asking, "Why?"

"It just seems like everyone really cared about her," Lucy answered with a slight frown. "Everyone knows about her disappearance."

"Well, yeah. She is the daughter of the Royal King and Queen."

"But wasn't she just a baby when she disappeared? Don't get me wrong, it's terrible what happened to her, but the kingdom sure does care a lot."

"What makes you say that?"

"There's a statue made of real gold in the courtyard. It looks like nobody has even tried to steal parts of it, even though there's no guards stationed around it. People just respect it and leave it alone in memory of her. And Wendy said that Fiore releases floating lanterns in memory of her. I think it's really sweet."

Natsu shrugged. "I think they do all of that stuff because they gave up looking for her."

Lucy arched a brow and turned her head towards him. "Really?"

"The King stopped sending search parties years ago. I guess after she'd been missing for years, he lost hope."

"I can't really blame him. I feel bad for him. Hey, Natsu, how do you know so much about the Lost Princess if you never go into town?"

A nostalgic smile graced the boy's lips as he answered, "It's thanks to Igneel."

"Igneel?" Happy repeated. He hadn't heard this story before.

"Yeah. The floating lanterns always happen the day before my birthday. One night, I made a joke that it's an early birthday present from all of Fiore. That's when I learned about the Lost Princess. Igneel told me about how everyone does it for the anniversary of her disappearance, which was her birthday, too."

"What happened next?"

"I already told you guys about how Igneel was friends with the Royal Couple before the Queen died. He got sad telling me about the Lost Princess. He talked about her golden hair, how peaceful she seemed, and how happy she made the King and Queen. Then he told me that she was taken and hasn't been seen since."

The three sat in a thick silence, their mood dampened. Natsu turned his head to find Lucy's take on everything, only to find crystalline tears flowing down her face. Guilt panged in his chest.

"What are you crying for, Lucy?" he asked.

Lucy wiped her face and answered, "It's just such a sad story. She was taken from her family and her kingdom. I can't imagine how lonely she must be."

Natsu frowned, his body growing rigid. He looked her in the eyes as he replied, "I'm sure she has some friends now."

Lucy's eyes widened as she stared into Natsu's dark orbs. Her stomach flipped from the look he was giving her, but not in the romantic way. She couldn't explain it, but something was nagging at her. Shaking her head, she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind.

They sat in silence once again until Lucy asked, "Hey, Natsu. When's your birthday?"

The boy swallowed thickly and answered, "July second."

Brown eyes widened. "Mine is July first."

Natsu winced, hoping she wouldn't put the pieces together. To his surprise and relief, she didn't notice that her birthday lied on the same day as the Lost Princess'. Or at least she didn't mention it. Instead, she tucked herself into bed.

"We should watch the lanterns together this summer. I'm sure they're pretty. Anyways, we should get to bed. I'll let you two sleep in the bed with me. Night, guys."

"Night, Lucy," the two replied in unison.

The three laid there for hours, their minds cluttered with thoughts. Natsu and Happy's hearts were full of guilt, while Lucy was utterly confused about her strange feelings. It was safe to say they weren't going to get much sleep that night.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy and her two partners quickly got ready for the day ahead of them. They needed to start searching for Cinderella, but breakfast was in order first. After all, searching on an empty stomach wouldn't do them any good.

"What are you guys in the mood for?" Lucy questioned as they walked through the streets of Crocus. There were plenty of food stalls lining the streets, offering delicious looking food.

"I don't really care," Natsu replied.

"I want fish," Happy added.

"You always want fish."

"That's because fish is good!"

"Whatever you say."

After stopping by a stand and getting Happy a fish, the trio continued to search for something for the other two to eat. Eventually, they settled for shopping at a stand that offered various fruits. Natsu complained, of course, but eventually relented thanks to an impatient glare from a certain blonde.

"I'll take a bag of cherries," Lucy told the owner, who was an old woman with a kind smile. Cherries were her favorite fruit and though she was curious as to how the woman had ripe cherries during the winter, she chose not to question it.

"I'll just take three green apples," Natsu added, handing the old woman the money.

Lucy watched the owner handle the purchase with a patient smile until her stomach lurched with a familiar, magnetic feeling. Whipping her head around, the blonde searched for any hints whatsoever. The feeling continued to grow within her as someone else approached the stand.

They wore a large, brown cloak that covered all of their features. Lucy wasn't sure if it was a boy or a girl as they wore a hood to cover their face.

The owner of the stand handed Natsu their food and turned to look at the newcomer.

"Here for your regular?" she asked with a smile.

The person silently nodded. The old woman grabbed a large bag and filled it with apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes. The person handed her a large sum of money before accepting the bag of food and walking away without giving a word of thanks.

Once the person was out of sight, Lucy turned to the old woman.

"Can you tell me who that was just now?" she asked.

The old woman arched a brow. "I don't know her name, sorry. All I know is that she comes here every week on the same day and gets the same food."

"That's good enough. Thank you!"

With that, Lucy rushed after the hooded figure, followed close behind by a confused Natsu and Happy.

"What was that about?" Natsu asked.

"Do you have to poop?" Happy questioned.

"Of course not," the blonde answered, a vein ticking in her forehead. Her eyes washed over the sea of people, looking for the hooded figure. "That person from before. That was Cinderella."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Positive. My gut feeling hasn't been wrong yet. Shit, I can't find them. Natsu, can you track their scent?"

The dragon slayer frowned and shook his head. "I wasn't paying enough attention to their scent and there's too many people. My senses are all jumbled up."

"It's okay. We'll go back to the hotel for now."

"What are we going to do about Cinderella?" Happy asked.

"The owner of that stand said that she comes every week. All we have to do is wait until next week and then we can talk to her."

"Why didn't you try before?"

"She left too quickly. Besides, I didn't want to just bring up the whole savior business just out in the open. It's okay, we have time. The ball is in two weeks. We've got this."

Thus, the three decided to wait patiently for a week, allowing their bodies to rest for their next mission. Though they believed it was going to be a laid-back story, they still wanted to be well rested for it. They didn't know that another battle awaited them.

* * *

 **AN:** Did you guys like the chapter? I liked the first half. I'm afraid I didn't do Lucy justice though when I was writing how she felt. But things are starting to nag at her about her identity! Do you think she knows? :D

As always, thank you to the wonderful handful of reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, Crazymagic16, An Amber Pen, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, ThayetJade NaluPrincess, Alexa60765, FlaminkoMage.** You guys are really great, you know that? :')


	63. Chapter 63

**AN:** I hope everyone is safe. I know some readers are being affected by Hurricane Harvey and I hope you are all doing alright.

* * *

Chapter 63

Touch

Lucy woke up to the smell of something sweet. Brown eyes fluttering open, the blonde released a quiet yawn before sitting up in bed. Her two partners were surprisingly already out of bed and were nice enough to let her catch some extra winks of sleep.

Ever since the mystery person- who they assumed was Cinderella- appeared at the food stand the prior day, the trio had nothing else to do other than wait for Thursday to come, which was when the mystery person buys food, apparently. Natsu wasn't able to track their scent amongst everyone else and though they tried finding the person again, it turned out fruitless.

After rubbing her tired eyes, Lucy glanced towards the source of the sweet smell. Natsu grinned at her, holding a takeout box.

"You're finally awake," he said, handing the girl the box.

Lucy smiled and opened the box, happy to see two pancakes topped with strawberry glaze and whipped cream. "Thanks, Natsu. Where's Happy?"

"We decided we're all going to take turns."

"Take turns doing what?"

"Being on watch. We don't want to just wait for a whole week without being able to do anything. We figured one of us could be on watch since we kinda know what they look like."

"And _Happy_ volunteered to be put on watch first?"

Natsu shrugged. "He said he wanted to be alone right now anyways. I'm guessing he's a lil' upset being away from Charle now."

Lucy frowned and replied, "Poor guy."

Deeming their conversation over, Lucy took that as her cue to start eating breakfast. The pancakes weren't so warm anymore and Earthland didn't have any microwaves, so that left the blonde with eating cold breakfast. Natsu offered to heat it up with his magic but she refused. She knew how terribly that could end.

Once Lucy finished, she brushed her teeth in the bathroom. She then went back into the room, where Natsu was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"I'm going to go take a shower," Lucy said, about to grab a change of clothes when Natsu grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed with him. She was leaning over him after having lost her balance. "Natsu? C'mon, I have to go take a shower!"

"Nah," the boy replied with a lazy smirk. "We finally have time alone. I ain't wasting it."

Lucy opened her mouth to protest when Natsu's lips brushed over her neck, causing a soft gasp to escape her mouth instead. Knowing that there was no way she could resist him now, the blonde readjusted herself, straddling Natsu and giving him easier access to her neck. A low growl escaped Natsu as he sucked her skin lightly.

Lucy pulled away only to place her lips over Natsu's. They moved in a constant rhythm, not too fast but not too slow either. Lucy was so caught up in their kiss she didn't even realize that she had started rolling her hips and grinding over Natsu until she felt something hard beneath her.

Her face immediately turned red and she pulled away from their kiss.

"S-Sorry," she stammered. "I'll sto-"

Natsu interrupted her by crashing his lips against hers again, placing a hand behind her head to pull her even closer. His other hand moved to her lower back, prompting her to continue. Despite being a bit embarrassed, Lucy ignored her shyness and indulged herself with the pleasure she felt before, grinding on him once again.

Everything felt so _good._ Lucy's embarrassment quickly disappeared, replaced with pleasure she had never felt before. Her body burned and ached, only finding comfort with each grind against Natsu. Every rational thought in her was gone.

Natsu's lips left Lucy's mouth and trailed down her neck and towards her collarbone. He ran his hands over her hips and up her sides, enjoying the way he felt the curve of her body. Lucy was curvy and he loved that. As he nipped her skin, his hands continued their journey up Lucy's sides until they ran against the undersides of her breasts. A shiver ran through him before he cupped her mounds with delight. He had felt them before, but now that they were actually kissing and grinding on each other while he squeezed them, it felt so different.

It was like a switch had flipped in Natsu's mind. His kisses grew harder, eliciting exotic moans from Lucy. His mind was on overdrive and his groin was aching for release. He needed to stop, to take a minute to think. But he couldn't help but continue to touch Lucy. She was his fix and he was addicted.

"N-Natsu," Lucy breathed out. She gently pushed him away so that she could take off his vest and let her fingers roam his chiseled body. She wanted to touch him as well. It had been a while since they were alone and Nasu wasn't the only one that couldn't help themselves.

Lucy moaned as Natsu's lips found her skin again and his hands continued to fondle her breasts. It felt great, but she wanted more. Pushing him away again, she brought her hands to the hem of her silk tank top and removed it. Her breasts were out in the open, her shyness now returning.

Natsu's jaw hung on its hinges as he stared at Lucy's breasts in awe. They were big, as he'd already known, and her nipples were hard. They enticed him immediately and he couldn't help but stare.

"W-Well?" Lucy asked, averting her gaze. She had always been proud of her body but now that she was revealing herself in front of a boy like this, she couldn't help but feel insecure. Especially since Natsu wasn't saying anything.

"D-Damn," Natsu choked out, swallowing thickly. "You're really hot, Lucy."

The girl blushed deeply, about to reply when Natsu traced his fingers over her hardened peaks. It was so sudden she couldn't help but gasp and grind against him again.

"Fuck," Natsu breathed out. He moved his lips towards her breasts, kissing the plentiful skin around her peaks. Every kiss had Lucy rolling her hips harder, and it was becoming more and more difficult to hold off from releasing.

Finally, his lips gently grazed over one of her hardened nubs. He sucked lightly on her breast, feeling proud with every exotic sound that escaped Lucy's mouth. His tongue darted out of his mouth and licked her hard nipple, running over it before he resumed sucking it again.

Lucy felt like she was going to explode with pleasure. She nearly screamed when Natsu moved to her other breast. Everything felt so good, she wanted more. Moving off Natsu's lap, she quickly removed her silk shorts.

Natsu swallowed thickly, his groin itching to feel her once again. But he wasn't sure if he could keep this up much longer. His body was threatening to release any moment now. There was no telling how much longer he could keep grinding against her, even more so now that she removed her shorts.

"M-Maybe we should-"

Natsu was interrupted when Lucy straddled him once again and crashed her lips over his. She grinded herself over his bulge and sure enough, he felt himself about to cum.

Pushing Lucy away a bit harshly, Natsu said between pants, "W-We need to stop."

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction and her heart panged with guilt and embarrassment. Scrambling off of him, the girl grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. She felt amazing minutes ago and now she felt terrible.

"I'm sorry!" she said. "I don't know what came over me…"

Natsu frowned and shook his head. "I-It's okay. I got carried away too."

"I, uhh, I'm going to go shower now."

Without waiting for him to reply, Lucy turned and grabbed a change of clothes before going to the bathroom. Closing the door, she turned on the shower and stood without moving. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared blankly ahead.

All of the embarrassment that Lucy didn't feel before was now hitting her like a brick. She had just revealed herself for the first time and had been _rejected._ It wasn't like she could blame him, though. She was the one that suggested taking their relationship slowly in the first place and now she was throwing off her clothes and grinding against him. Not to mention that they had only been together for a short time, not even a month to be exact.

Back on Earth, girls were always judged for their sex lives. Lucy remembered all of the nasty rumors and people calling girls sluts for giving it up after a short while. How was she any different? Hell, her relationship with Natsu wasn't even defined.

After her long shower, Lucy got dressed and examined herself in the mirror. Her eyes were slightly puffy but the water definitely helped. With a shaky breath, the girl left the bathroom only to find that Natsu was gone.

Lucy grabbed the hairbrush and sat on the bed. Her eyes were trained on her lap as she brushed through her long, golden locks of hair. Everything seemed so quiet now and she felt lonely.

As if on cue, the door unlocked before opening to reveal Happy. The cat closed the door behind him and flew beside Lucy on the bed, breathing a heavy sigh.

"Did you find any clues?" Lucy asked, finished with brushing her hair.

"No," Happy answered. "Maybe Natsu will."

The two sat in a thick silence, neither in the mood for talking. Happy retrieved a fish from his knapsack but didn't even have the energy to eat it. He missed Charle. Sure he hadn't known her long and his feelings were nowhere near reciprocated, but he was in love with her. He knew that he made the right choice coming with Natsu and Lucy, he just needed some time to mope.

* * *

A few hours later, Lucy decided it was her turn to be on watch. Saying goodbye to Happy, the blonde left the inn and headed towards the flowerful courtyard where Natsu was waiting. Her stomach churned with each step, scared to see him. Three hours wasn't enough time to forget her embarrassing rejection. She wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there for months.

Since that wasn't an option, however, Lucy kept walking to the food stand. Sure enough, Natsu was there and already staring at her. Lucy averted her gaze and bit her lower lip harshly, too scared and embarrassed to face him. She had lost control over herself and revealed more than what Natsu was ready for. Of course she'd be embarrassed.

"Yo," Natsu greeted as Lucy approached him. His voice came out meekly as he too had been mulling over this moment.

"Hi," Lucy replied, hugging herself. "I can take over now."

Natsu nodded wordlessly but stood in place. He opened his mouth to say something only to close it again, the words dying in his throat. What was he supposed to say to her? He would probably just make things worse.

"You can head back to the hotel," Lucy said, still refusing to meet his gaze. "I'll be fine here. And I'm sure Happy could use someone to cheer him up."

"I guess…" Natsu replied, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. He stayed still in his spot. He didn't want to leave her alone, not when she was obviously upset.

"I'm fine, Natsu. You can go."

"I don't mind staying."

"But I don't need you to stay, I'm fine."

"…Doesn't seem like it."

Lucy's cheeks dusted pink and her frown grew. "I'm fine. Just… embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" Natsu repeated, quirking a brow.

"Well yeah. You rejected me earlier, of course I'd be embarrassed. But I don't want you to feel bad or anything! I was the one that said we would take things slow and I guess I got caught up in the moment and rushed things… I'm sorry, Natsu."

"You don't have to be embarrassed about anything," Natsu said sincerely. Lucy still refused to meet his gaze, so he grabbed her hands. She finally looked at him. "I mean it, Lucy. I didn't reject you."

Lucy scoffed and replied, "You don't have to lie."

"I'm not! Look, I just needed to stop because…" Natsu's face matched his hair and he averted his onyx orbs. "I was getting caught up too and I didn't want you to regret anything."

"I wouldn't have regretted it," Lucy assured him.

"It's not just that…"

"What else is there?"

"I almost… _you know._ " Natsu nodded towards his groin and used his hands to make an exploding gesture.

With that, Lucy's face was set ablaze as she stammered, "O-Oh! R-Really?"

"Yeah," the boy replied honestly, a bit embarrassed. "I didn't wanna gross you out or anything. Then you _really_ would've regretted it."

"I still wouldn't have regretted it. I promise you I wouldn't have."

"You sure?"

"Positive. I promise I don't regret anything with you."

Natsu studied her for a moment as if skeptical of her statement. Then, he gave her a wide, toothy grin and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. Lucy blushed immediately as Natsu leaned closer and planted his lips onto hers in a sweet kiss. Butterflies swarmed throughout her body and she leaned into the kiss, wondering if she would ever get used to the feeling. She hoped she wouldn't.

Satisfied that things were back to normal between them and that it was all just a big misunderstanding, Lucy pulled back and smiled at Natsu.

"Now go back to the inn," she ordered, shooing him away. "Happy needs you to cheer him up and I expect him to be a happy Happy when I get back."

"One happy Happy, you got it," Natsu replied, grinning at her. He placed one last kiss on her cheek before waving and heading back to the inn.

Lucy sighed happily before sitting on a bench and placing a hand over her rapidly-beating heart. She had always imagined herself falling in love after finding her parents and she pictured her soulmate countless of times. Natsu was nowhere near what she had dreamed about but she was glad. Nobody else had ever made her feel so happy and cared for. Nobody else evoked so many different emotions from her.

No, only Natsu could do all of those things, and that was why she loved him and would continue to do so. With a happy heart, Lucy's eyes glazed over the sea of people around her. She was supposed to be looking for Cinderella, but with her heart full of joy, she couldn't help but think of a certain pink-headed dragon slayer.

* * *

 **AN:** Did you like the chapter? :D Let me know what you think!

Thanks to the reviewers: **Crazymagic16, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, NaluPrincess, Alexa60765, ThayetJade, Lunahartz, Nalulove, CupcakeGoddess22, Soul Eater Maka.**


	64. Chapter 64

**AN:** So this version of Cinderella is more like the sequel of Cinderella if any of you have seen it! Kinda. It's hard to explain without spoiling anything lol.

* * *

Chapter 64

Anastasia

A week had passed and there had been no sign of Cinderella. Today was their last hope of finding the hooded figure again and this time all three of them would be in the courtyard in preparation. So, as soon as the sun rose high in the sky, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy headed for the food stand that Cinderella apparently visited every week.

Lucy released a loud yawn as she walked between Natsu and Happy. She wore some loose sweats and a sweater, along with Natsu's scarf. She dragged her feet, not ready for the day ahead of her. After getting home last night, the three of them stayed up playing games and chatting. Taking turns didn't allow the three much time to all be together, so they enjoyed the time that they could.

There was a plus side to the whole ordeal, however. Whenever it was Happy's turn to be on lookout, Lucy and Natsu took that time to do things that they didn't have time to before. Their sessions didn't make it as far as their first day in Crocus, but it was still hot and heavy. Their clothes stayed on and their private areas stayed untouched, but Lucy had hickeys over her neck to prove that their sessions weren't innocent, hence why she wore Natsu's scarf.

"What if she never shows up again?" Happy asked, flying into Lucy's chest and prompting her to carry him.

"We can't think like that," the blonde answered. "The lady said that she comes every week, so let's just assume she will."

When they reached the courtyard, they found the owners of stands preparing for the day and setting up shop. The lady of the fruit stand was there as well. The three sat on a nearby bench, all of them leaning onto each other for support. It was way too early for a stakeout.

"I'm going to get us some fruits," Lucy said, getting up and heading towards the stand. Hopefully some food would wake them up.

The older woman at the stand smiled at the blonde. "Hello again. What can I get for you?"

"Can I get a bag of cherries?" Lucy asked, smiling back at her.

The woman nodded and scooped up some of the ripe, dark cherries from the bin and placed them into a bag.

"Are you going to the ball?" the lady asked. "Just about everyone is going."

"Is everyone allowed to go?" Lucy asked in return.

"Of course! Are you not from Crocus?"

"I'm not."

"I see. Well you came just in time then. Every year, our Prince holds a ball in hopes of finding the next Princess. So far, he hasn't found anyone yet, but hopefully that'll change this year. Everyone is allowed to go and it's one of Crocus' most famous events, besides King Heartfilia's balls. But only certain people can attend those balls."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. I encourage you to go. You're young, it'll be a fun time for you. There's dancing and exquisite food. Not to mention plenty of attractive men. Who knows, maybe the Prince himself will have his eyes on you. I think you two would look great together."

Lucy blushed and said, "Oh, well I actually have a boyfriend already."

The woman smiled and nodded. "It must be that boy over there. I still think you would look adorable with the Prince, since he also has blonde hair and all. But I suppose that boy pulls off the pink hair." She handed Lucy her bag of cherries and accepted the money. Smiling at Lucy, the woman continued, "Thanks for your business. Have fun if you do end up going to the ball."

"Thank you," Lucy replied, smiling in return before heading back to Natsu and Happy. Sitting by Natsu, she teased, "Better watch out, Natsu. She told me I would look cute with the Prince and could be the next Princess of Crocus if I catch his attention."

Natsu tensed and gave a forced smile. If only she knew the irony of what she was saying. "Yeah right. You're too weird to be a Princess."

"Don't be rude! I would make a great Princess!"

"Sure, sure!"

Lucy stuck her tongue out at Natsu before plopping a cherry into her mouth. Natsu took one for himself as well. He didn't really care for cherries but he was hungry so he was going to take what he could get.

They sat there for hours, waiting for the hooded figure to show up. Lucy hoped her _stomach thing,_ as Happy would call it, worked again this time. They were putting a lot of faith into an arbitrary hint and it was risky but it wasn't like they had any other leads.

It was nearing 11 o'clock in the morning when finally Lucy's stomach lurched. She had been resting her head on Natsu's shoulder, about to pass out. Whipping her head around, the blonde got the attention of her two partners, immediately alerting them that something was up, hopefully that she had found Cinderella.

"Wait, I think I see her!" Natsu exclaimed, pointing towards the crowd. Lucy and Happy followed his pointed finger until their gazes landed on a person walking briskly, keeping their head low. They wore the same hooded cloak from before. "That has to be her!"

"Aye!" Happy replied. "We finally found her! What do we do now, Lucy?"

Lucy rose from her seat and answered, "We follow her and confront her. We have to talk to her without her sister finding out."

With that, the three of them inconspicuously walked closer to the girl, who was buying fruit from the older lady. Once she finished purchasing everything, she turned without a word of thanks and walked back the way she came as if she was never there in the first place. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy followed roughly ten paces behind. They didn't want to confront her in front of everyone.

Once they left the courtyard, the hooded figure, who they deemed was Cinderella, eventually turned into a narrow ally. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy shared a quick, quizzical glance as they continued to follow.

Cinderella led the way to a dirt path, far from town and near the border of Crocus. It wasn't as nice as the courtyard and there weren't many buildings around. Deeming it as the perfect time to confront Cinderella, the three picked up their pace until they were right behind.

"Umm, excuse me!" Lucy called out.

The hooded person stopped in their tracks, visibly tense. The three stopped as well. Then, Cinderella turned around. She was a beautiful girl with medium-length silver hair. Lucy thought the girl reminded her of the Strauss sisters, though her bangs were chopped straight over her forehead and some of her hair stuck up and swirled over her head like a halo. Her eyes were a deep shade of blue, cold as she gave them a hard stare.

"What do you want?" the girl asked. Her voice wasn't kind and sweet like Lucy had expected.

"Umm, we're here to help you, actually," Lucy answered with an awkward chuckle.

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Help me?"

"Yeah. Happy, give her the book."

The exceed did as he was told and gave the girl the storybook after flipping to the correct story. The trio watched anxiously- the girl's sour mood making things awkward- as the girl read through the story. Just as everyone else who had read their stories before, Cinderella's eyes widened and she stared at them with a gaping mouth.

What came next, however, was unexpected.

"Leave me alone," Cinderella said, downright glaring at the trio.

Lucy and the others shared a concerned and confused look before glancing back towards the girl they were supposed to help. Nobody had ever turned down their help before. Well, Gray did at first, but he wasn't in as much of a foul mood as this girl. He just simply believed he wasn't worth saving.

"It may not look like it, but I promise I'll be able to help you," Lucy tried again with a frown.

"I don't need your damn help. Now leave me alone. And if I _ever_ see you three again, I will kill you and send you to Heaven with the angels."

With that, the silver-headed girl turned around and followed the dirt path that seemed to go for miles, not sparing them another glance. The three stood stunned in their spots, their jaws dropped to the ground.

"What the hell just happened?" Natsu voiced aloud.

"We were rejected," Happy answered.

"This usually doesn't happen," Lucy chimed in. "Usually people doubt us at first but come around. Nobody ever talks to us so rudely."

"What should we do?"

"We should follow her."

"Follow her?" Natsu repeated with a frown. "I think it's clear she doesn't want our help, Luce. She even went so far as to threaten us."

"I know, I know. But we can't just not help her. We'll figure things out as we go, now c'mon!"

With that, the three relied on Natsu's nose to lead the way. They didn't want to be too close to Cinderella considering her threat. So, they made sure they were out of view as they followed along.

The path was getting less defined and eventually there were no other buildings in sight at all. Wherever Cinderella lived, it was far from civilization, which made sense since her sister was trying to keep her hidden. They just didn't think they would be an hour's walk away from the city.

Eventually, Natsu came to a stop, signaling for the others to do so as well. He jerked his head in the direction of Cinderella's scent.

"She stopped," he said. In the distance, they could make out a small cottage. "That's gotta be their house. I can still smell her."

"What do we do now, Lucy?" Happy asked.

The blonde shrugged. "We check it out."

"Like go inside?"

"No! We just kind of peek through the windows or something. We have to see how Cinderella is living."

The other two shrugged. If Lucy, the savior, deemed it as a good idea, they would follow through with it. It wasn't like any of her plans had failed so far. Besides, they didn't have any ideas of their own anyways.

As they reached the small cottage, the three began to tiptoe to conceal their steps. The chances of Cinderella and her sister being able to hear them were slim but it made them feel safer. Crouching below a window, Lucy heard muffled voices coming from inside. The three slowly and carefully lifted their heads to peek through the window.

Cinderella had removed her cloak and was putting away all of the groceries she had bought. Their place was sparkling clean, not a speck of dust anywhere. The three surveyed the room and their breaths caught when they found someone else.

It was a girl that was identical to Cinderella, though her hair was cut shorter in a pixie style. Her eyes were also larger and weren't as cold as Cinderella's. Instead, they were bright and cheerful as she smiled at her sister.

"So that's the evil sister?" Happy asked in a whisper. "She doesn't look evil."

"Looks can be deceiving," Natsu replied, crossing his arms.

Lucy's lips tugged downwards into a frown. Something wasn't right. She could feel it but she couldn't explain it. The Cinderella in her world was kind despite the obstacles life threw at her and the sister was an evil bitch for no good reason other than petty jealousy. She knew that the book had gotten plenty of things wrong from her world- or rather that her world's versions were wrong- but it was strange.

Unless…

"Oh shit," Lucy breathed out, her eyes growing wide.

"What is it?" Happy asked.

The blonde groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We messed up big time."

"Lucy, c'mon. Tell us what happened," Natsu said, slightly concerned.

"The girl we talked to isn't Cinderella. _She_ is," Lucy replied, gesturing towards the other girl with the short hair.

"What? How do you know?"

"The story says that the sister is overprotective of her sister, right? Well why would she let her get groceries while she relaxes at home then? And why is Cinderella so cold? It's because she's not Cinderella. She's the evil sister."

"Why is that so bad?" Happy asked.

Lucy sighed. "Because now we let the sister find out we're here to help Cinderella. Now she's going to be on the lookout and extra protective. How are we going to be able to talk to Cinderella now?"

"Maybe we can wait until she falls asleep," Natsu replied. "Then we'll sneak in and talk to her."

"Do you see the size of this place? There's no way she won't be able to hear us."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"…No."

"Exactly."

Lucy sighed again. "Alright, fine. We'll just have to wait. Again. For hours."

"This story sucks," Happy added, sighing with the blonde.

"Hey, you guys are the ones that didn't want any fights," Natsu reminded them with a small grin.

"Now I'm starting to think I would rather fight than wait for so long," Lucy replied with a huff. "We've been waiting _so long."_

"What's a few more hours? C'mon, we can't just hide out here. We'll just come back at night."

The three tiptoed away from the cottage and back on the dirt path. Though Lucy didn't know it at the time, she would soon get what she wished for.

* * *

 **AN:** Pretty sure it's obvious who Cinderella and Anastasia are now haha. I liked reading through everyone's guesses! A lot of you actually got it right haha!

Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Lunahartz, Guest, An Amber Pen, ThayetJade, MasterGildarts, Doom Marine 54, myhopejhope, ThatPixleDino, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.**


	65. Chapter 65

**AN:** QOTD: What is your fav anime besides Fairy Tail? Mine is Bleach! :)

* * *

Chapter 65

Cinderella

Once the sun was replaced with the moon in the sky, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy took that as their cue to head out for the night. It was about an hour long walk until they reached Cinderella's secluded home. This story was by far the longest and most boring. They didn't even know Cinderella's name yet. This was their least favorite story by a landslide, save for the Wizard of Oz considering Lucy almost died. But this was a close second.

They took their time walking, just to make sure Cinderella's evil sister would be asleep by the time they reached the cottage. Lucy sighed, swatting away mosquitoes that tried to suck her blood. Why the hell did there have to be mosquitoes in this world too?

Eventually, the cottage came into view. Natsu led the way towards the small home, signaling for the others to be quiet. Just as they did earlier, they tiptoed up to the window and peeked in through the window. The two sisters were chatting idly on their bed, smiles on their faces. It was strange that they had to grant one of them their happy endings when they both looked pretty happy at the moment.

"What are they saying?" Lucy asked in a hushed tone.

"The sister is telling her about all the stuff she saw today," Natsu answered. "All the things she saw, the people she met, yada yada. I can tell she's lying though from her heartbeat. Something tells me she doesn't meet too many people. And she's not telling her about us."

"Cinderella seems really into it," Happy noted. "Do you think that it's because she isn't allowed outside?"

"That would make sense," Lucy replied.

They watched for a few more minutes, hastily ducking every time it looked like one of the sisters was going to turn their way. Eventually, the older sister left to a different room, smiling to her sister before shutting the door.

"She said she's going to bed," Natsu said, glancing towards Lucy, who in turn looked towards Happy.

"Happy, go fly around and see if there's a window at the room the older sister went," Lucy instructed.

"Aye, sir!" The cat quickly flew around to the opposite side of the cottage. Sure enough, there was a small window. Peering inside, he found the older sister climbing into bed before turning off the lamp on her nightstand. Flying back to his friends, he reported, "There is a window! And I can see her!"

"Good," Lucy replied, nodding. "You go by that window and stay on watch. Once she falls asleep, you can come back to us."

"What are you guys going to do?"

"We're going to stay here and watch Cinderella. If we're given the chance, we're going to try to gain her trust so she doesn't go screaming and waking her sister up."

"Why don't we just talk to them?"

"Or fight them," Natsu added. "There's only one girl. We can take her."

Lucy shook her head. "We can't go in guns blazing this time. That won't fix anything. It's clear that Cinderella cares for her sister, if we go in there and knock her out, she'll never trust us. And it's obvious the older sister isn't going to just listen. We figured that out earlier. Our best bet is sneaking Cinderella to the ball and having her taste life for herself, then try to convince her older sister. So can you stay on watch, Happy?"

"Aye, sir!"

With that, Happy flew away once again, this time staying on the other side of the cottage.

Natsu and Lucy sat by the window, the latter peering inside and watching Cinderella. Natsu's eyes glazed over her. Her skin glowed under the moonlight and he imagined her golden hair lighting up the night. Her pink, plump lips were practically calling his name.

Natsu slid his hand up Lucy's thigh, only to have it smacked away.

"Not now," Lucy said without sparing him a glance.

"C'mon, Luce. We can have a little fun," Natsu replied with a smirk. He inched closer before she stopped him with a stout glare.

"No. I didn't send Happy over there so you can make a move on me, mister. There's no way I'm going to do anything like that outside of someone's house."

"But she won't see!"

"No."

"But we'll be quiet!'

"Nope."

"But-"

Lucy turned towards him again, her eyes narrowed dangerously and gleaming with irritation. Natsu swallowed thickly and shut his mouth. The blonde then gave him an eerie smile, caressing his face and causing a shiver to run through his body.

With the sinister smile plastered to her face, she warned, "Ask me again and I won't let you touch me for a month. Got it?"

Natsu pouted and averted his gaze. "Fine." But could she really blame him, though? They had been having naughty make out sessions the past week, he grew addicted. And here she was, looking like a goddess under the moonlight and tempting him!

"Good. Now shut up and watch Cinderella with me."

Natsu reluctantly crouched beside the blonde and peered through the window. Cinderella was just sitting on the couch in the cramped living room. Beside the couch was a large stack of newspapers.

Nearly an hour later, Happy flew back to the two, who were unbelievably bored and tired of watching Cinderella. The girl lived an absolutely boring life and they felt creepy watching her. So when Happy came flying to them, bright smiles immediately etched themselves onto their faces.

"Finally!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Shh!" Lucy scolded, though she was relieved too. "Is she asleep, Happy?"

"Aye!" the cat answered. "I lightly tapped the window just to make sure!"

"Good job! Alright, let's go talk to our future Princess!"

"What are we going to do?"

Lucy stood from her spot, her legs feeling as though they were going to give out on her because she had been crouching for so long. Stretching her aching body, she gave the two a shrug.

"We talk to her."

"Just like that?" Natsu asked.

"Yep." Without waiting for them to reply, Lucy peered through the window again. Cinderella was still curled up on the couch, reading the news. She had been reading that same one for hours. Biting her lower lip in anxiety, the blonde lightly tapped the window, fearful that her older sister would wake up.

Cinderella immediately sat up straight and glanced around. It was clear that they didn't get visitors often, if at all. So, Lucy tapped the window again. This time, Cinderella glanced towards them and gasped, her brown eyes growing wide.

Lucy smiled nervously and gave a small wave in hopes of calming the surely frightened girl down. If she woke up her sister, it would ruin their entire plan.

To the blonde's relief, Cinderella seemed to think the same thing as she glanced towards her older sister's room before tiptoeing carefully towards them. It was clear she was on edge as she kept her arms close to her chest and her brows drooped as she studied them.

Hesitantly, the girl unlocked the window before carefully pushing it open. Her eyes glazed over each of them, taking in every feature. They were the first people she had seen besides her sister in _years._

"H-Hello?" she greeted, her voice quiet both because she didn't want to wake her sister up and also because she was a naturally shy person. Though it wasn't like anyone could blame her. Her older sister kept her locked away from society for half of her life, of course she was rusty when it came to socializing. "Are you guys lost?"

Lucy smiled at the girl and shook her head. "We're here to help you."

The girl arched a brow. "To help me? From what?"

Happy handed the confused girl the storybook after flipping open to the correct page. Just as her older sister had done the day before, Cinderella read through the story, her eyes widening in realization. The other three had to suppress sighs. They were used to this reaction and understood, but it was repetitive.

"This is me," the girl breathed out. "This story is about me. But how?"

"Have you heard of King Heartfilia's curse?" Lucy asked.

"Yes. It happened before I was born but my parents told me what happened. Why?"

"I'm the savior to that curse. In order to break it, I need to deliver happy endings from this book in order. Yours just so happens to be in the book."

Cinderella's eyes widened. "My happy ending… What is my happy ending supposed to be?"

"You wanna go to the ball, right?" Natsu chimed in, giving the girl a toothy grin. "Well there ya have it. We need to get you to that ball and outta this house."

Cinderella frowned and shook her head. "I can't leave, my sister won't let me."

Lucy placed her hands over Cinderella's shoulders. "Listen, uhh…"

"Oh, my name is Yukino Agria."

"Nice to meet you, Yukino. I'm Lucy Ashley. These are my friends Natsu Dragneel and Happy. Listen, Yukino, have you ever snuck out of here before?"

"I haven't."

"Have you wanted to see the world?"

"Oh more than anything. But I could never hurt my sister like that. She's given up so much for me, I could never think of betraying her."

Natsu crossed his arms behind his head and bluntly asked, "What's she done for you besides keep you a prisoner here?"

Lucy jabbed him sharply in the ribs, causing him to cough. "Don't be rude, Natsu!"

"No, it's okay," Yukino replied. Her lips formed a sad smile as she continued, "This may seem extreme, but my sister means well. It all started when we were kids. Our town was raided and these horrible, dark mages killed most of our people, including our parents. They took all of the children except for me because my sister, Sorano, helped me hide. But before she could hide, she was taken."

Tears pricked the girl's eyes and she continued, "It's my fault she was taken. For years she was kept as a slave, tortured and forced to do their dirty work. Eventually, everyone broke free and we found each other, but she isn't the same anymore. Since then, she hasn't been able to trust anyone else. So, we got this house far from everyone else and she keeps me here to prevent me from getting hurt."

"You haven't tried telling her that it's extreme?" Happy asked.

"How could I? After what happened to her, how could I tell her that her fear is irrational? She's been through enough, if me being here makes her feel better, I'll gladly do it."

"Isn't it lonely though?"

"A little, but not too much," Yukino answered, giving them a real smile. She dug into her pockets before showing them objects that made their mouths gape and their eyes widen. In her palms were an array of celestial gate keys, two of which being zodiac keys.

"Whoa! Look, Luce! She's a celestial mage too!" Natsu said, nudging the blonde.

"You're one too?" Yukino asked, eyes widening at the other girl.

Lucy smiled and grabbed her key ring, showing her keys. "Yep. Small world!"

"Wow! You have so many keys!"

Lucy smiled and nodded, holding her keys close to her chest. All of her spirits were precious friends of hers. She was eternally grateful for each and every single one of them, even the ones that couldn't help in combat.

Lucy met Yukino's gaze again and said, "I know what it's like to be lonely. I locked myself up in my own home for years. I didn't have my spirits with me to keep me company, though. So I know what it's like to be so lonely but eventually make wonderful friends. Do you know what that is like, Yukino?"

The girl frowned and shook her head. "No, I don't."

Lucy grabbed Yukino's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. "You deserve to know what it feels like. After meeting all of my friends, I could never go back to the life I had before and I promise you would feel the same."

Yukino's frown grew and she pulled her hands back. "I know you are trying to help me and I'm grateful, but I can't. I can't betray my sister."

Lucy frowned in thought. "How about this? What if your sister never finds out? She won't be scared for you and she'll never know. She'll be fine."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"We'll sneak you out the night of the ball and I'll take your place here when your sister goes to sleep. We have the same magic, so it might just work. After the ball, you can come back before your sister wakes up and you can decide for yourself what comes next."

Yukino frowned in thought. The offer seemed nice. Sorano wouldn't get hurt and she could see what the outside world was like again. She could be around new people for just one night.

Yukino recalled the day she asked her sister to go to the ball.

 _It had been when Sorano returned from her errand run, grocery bags in her hands along with the daily newspaper, which she handed to her younger sister with a smile. That was their routine. Sorano would get Yukino a newspaper to keep her somewhat updated in the world. It was her way of putting an end to Yukino's asking to leave the house._

 _Yukino grinned as she sat on the couch and read the paper. Her eyes widened a fraction as she read the cover. The young Prince of Crocus was throwing his annual ball in search of finding a woman to wife. She had no intention of trying to gain the Prince's heart, but she did want to go to the ball. She had never been to one before and she was dying to leave the house._

 _Glancing towards her sister, Yukino frowned. Asking to leave never worked out for her. Swallowing thickly, she rose from the couch. She had to try at least._

 _"Nee-san, look!" Yukino exclaimed, handing the said girl the paper, a nervous grin glued to her face. "The Prince is throwing another ball!"_

 _Sorano frowned and glanced at the paper for a second before resuming putting the groceries away. "Good for him."_

 _Yukino bit her lip, momentarily discouraged. Mustering her courage, she tried again. "C-Can we go?"_

 _Sorano froze, her body tense. Then, she turned and faced her sister. "No."_

 _"But, Nee-san! I-It's just one night! And you can come with me! We'll bring our spirits and we can defend ourselves!"_

 _"You want me to go with you?" Sorano asked in bewilderment. Her eyes were frantically wide. "I am not risking that, Yukino!"_

 _"Then let me go myself! I promise I'll be fine!"_

 _"No."_

 _"Please, Nee-san. I've been in this house for years, I need to see the world just once more. Then I'll stop asking, I promise."_

 _Fearful tears welled in Sorano's eyes as she stepped closer to her sister. With a shaky breath, she desperately begged, "Please, Yukino. Please don't leave this house. I-I can't lose you to anyone."_

 _Seeing the paranoia set in her sister's eyes and hearing her desperation, Yukino frowned and gazed at her feet miserably. "Alright…"_

 _Sorano sighed in relief. "Thank you, Yukino. I know this isn't easy for you, but trust me. Nothing good will come from stepping out of this house."_

 _"I know…"_

 _"Good. And Yukino?"_

 _"Yes, Nee-san?"_

 _"Please stop asking to leave. It gives me a heart attack every time."_

 _"Yes, Nee-san…"_

Yukino's eyes gleamed with determination as she met Lucy's gaze. She was right. She needed to experience what the world had to offer her. And it wasn't like her sister would find out, so she wouldn't be hurting her.

"I'll go," Yukino said. "I'll go to the ball."

The three gave a sigh of relief.

"Good. The ball is next week. I'll go get you a dress sometime during the week," Lucy replied. "We'll be back the night of the ball. Come to the window once your sister is asleep. Natsu will escort you to the ball. Happy, you'll stay with me in case something goes wrong."

"Alright. Thank you so much, Lucy. And you guys too, Natsu and Happy."

"Don't thank us yet! You still have to go to the ball!"

The two girls shared a smile before Yukino bid them good night and closed the window. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy tiredly walked along the path back into the city so that they could sleep in their hotel for the night. They were all glad that they were making progress with the story. It had been looking to be a dead end, but finally they made a breakthrough.

"Are you sure you're okay with missing out on the ball, Lucy?" Happy asked, glancing up at the blonde.

"Yeah, you've been talking about going nonstop," Natsu added.

The blonde shrugged, latching her hands together behind her back. "I'll go to next year's ball. I'm just glad that we're going to finish this story."

Natsu and Happy shared a glance before grinning at Lucy. Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulders while Happy plopped himself on her head.

"We'll make sure to take you to next year's ball," Natsu said.

"Aye!" Happy added. "And we can invite Charle and Wendy too! And Chelia!"

"We can invite all of our friends," Lucy replied with an excited grin. "I'm holding you two to this promise. I expect you to remember your promise!"

"Of course, Luce! Now let's go back already, I'm beat."

"Aye!"

With that, the three continued their walk to the inn and got a well-deserved night's rest. They had one week before the ball. One week before their next battle.

* * *

 **AN:** Got some insight as to how Yukino has been living! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 **Lizz Cold 790:** Angel and Sorano weren't mentioned in the chapter itself but in the AN. ;) Sorta. Their names weren't specifically said but I did say that one of the guilds was going to have their own arc and Sabertooth has Yukino, who is sisters with Angel. :D I didn't want to specify that it was in the AN because then it would've been too obvious. :D

Thank you so much to the people that reviewed: **Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, ThayetJade, Lizz Cold 790, Crazymagic16, Alexa60765, An Amber Pen, CupcakeGoddess22, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, Nalulove.** You guys are seriously amazing and if it weren't for you guys I probably would've lost inspiration a while ago. :') I wish the other 191 of you that read the last chapter reviewed as well haha.

(P.S., SWF will be updated later today after I get off work!)


	66. Chapter 66

**AN:** Here is a longer chapter than usual! QOTD: Which of the big four is your least favorite? Mine is gruvia. I love them but I just love everyone else more. :')

* * *

Chapter 66

The Ball

A week had flown by in the blink of an eye. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walked along the dirt path towards the Agria sisters' house. They hadn't been there since last week, when they had told Yukino their plan. Nothing noteworthy happened during the past week, much to Lucy's disappointment. With Happy around them all the time, she had no time for any heavy make out sessions with Natsu, which she craved nearly every second of the day. The only productive thing the blonde did was buy a dress, shoes, and some accessories for Yukino, which costed them a fortune.

The corners of Lucy's lips tugged downwards into a frown as she clutched Yukino's dress, which was in a large bag, close to her chest. She didn't trust Natsu or Happy with the task of carrying it, knowing that they would drag it or mess it up in some way. The dress was beautiful, a light shade of green with white feathers at the hems. The neckline didn't show off as much as Lucy would've worn, but it scooped low enough to show some cleavage, perfect for the shyer girl. At the bust, the dressed puffed out like a typical ballgown. She paired the dress with a green choker, white heels, and a white rose hair accessory.

In truth, Lucy was envious. She had really been wanting to go to the ball. She had been looking forward to it since she found out the next story was Cinderella. But now she was stuck pretending to be Yukino, and she had no idea how that was going to turn out.

Still, Lucy sucked it up, knowing that it was for a good cause. If it meant someone else's happy ending, she was willing to postpone her first ball until next year.

When they reached the house, it was nearing eleven o'clock at night. Unlike Lucy's version of Cinderella, the ball didn't end at midnight, it started at midnight and ended at around three, or whenever the Prince decided it was over, apparently. This made it easier for them considering Sorano would be asleep. She could only imagine what would happen if they had to sneak Yukino out at a time like nine o'clock.

Once they approached the window, they found Yukino standing by it already, an eager grin etched onto her face. Lucy gave a small wave as Yukino unlocked the window as quietly as she could before opening it.

"Hello, everyone," she whispered. They could hear the excitement in her quiet voice. They could understand. It was her first time leaving the house in years, of course she'd be excited.

"Hey, Yukino," Lucy greeted.

"I'm so glad you guys are here! I was beginning to worry that you changed your minds!"

"Of course we wouldn't do that! Now c'mon, you've got a ball to get to! How loud is your door when opening it?"

"Very. We'll need to switch places using the window."

Lucy chuckled nervously as she studied the window. It wasn't big in the slightest and squeezing through would no doubt be difficult. Especially with her curves. And Yukino was similarly built.

"Alright, before you come out, we'll let you get dressed," Lucy stated, handing the girl her clothes and accessories through the window.

Yukino's smile grew tenfold as she accepted. "Thank you all so much! You're all like my fairy godmother!"

Lucy grinned and turned to Natsu. "I think _you_ are more like her fairy godmother since you're the one taking her to the ball. Looks like Gray wasn't the only female character from the book."

Natsu blushed and glared at the girl. "Shut up. You heard her, we're all her fairy godmothers. Not just me!"

Happy snickered behind his paw and joined Lucy with the teasing. "Now that you mention it, Lucy, he does look pretty feminine. With the pink hair and all."

"Not you too, Happy!"

"Aye! Please be my fairy godmother too, Natsu!"

"I hate both of you!"

Everyone laughed quietly at Natsu's misery. With that, Yukino shut the window and moved the curtains so that she could get dressed. It took about five minutes before the curtains were moved again, revealing an absolutely stunning Yukino. Lucy was glad that the dress fit her right, and boy did it fit. It showed off all of her curves but still looked elegant.

"You look amazing, Yukino!" Lucy gushed. Then she paled. "Are you sure you'll be able to squeeze out of there in that dress? Shit. Maybe we should've had you change after."

"Way to go, savior," Natsu teased, elbowing the girl.

"I didn't want her to have to change in front of us!"

"It's fine," Yukino assured. "I'll be careful." Determination gleamed in her eyes as she set her hands on the window sill. "I'm ready to go." With that, she hoisted herself up and began squeezing herself through the small window. Lucy was glad she didn't buy a dress with any hoops underneath. That would've made this impossible.

Natsu and Lucy grabbed Yukino by the armpits to help her out without falling and Happy stayed by the end to grab her legs. When she was fully out of the window, they helped her stand upright. Yukino's breath hitched in her throat and tears of mirth pricked her eyes as she took in her surroundings.

Being on the outside was much different. She was sure the air smelled different and that the colors popped more. Cooped inside that house for years, she cleaned the window every day to make sure she had a clear view of the outside world. But even then, it didn't compare to what she saw now. Even though there really wasn't much around her except for dirt, the girl was content.

Lucy sighed as she neared the window. "Alright, looks like it's my turn."

"Wait," Natsu said before the girl moved. "Let Happy go in first so that he can catch you. There's no counter there for you to land on and you'll make a loud noise without him."

"Good idea."

Happy flew easily through the window and waited for the blonde. With that, Lucy hoisted herself up, Natsu and Yukino grabbing her legs to help push her through. Her face morphed bright red as she got stuck.

"Your butt's too big, Lucy!" Natsu teased with a laugh.

Happy snickered quietly and added, "Poor Lucy. All the pasta is adding up now."

"I'm going to kill both of you!" Lucy replied, a vein ticked in her forehead. "Just push me through already."

Mischief flashed through Natsu's eyes, not that Lucy could see it, though.

"If you say so," he replied, drawing out the last word. "Here, Yukino. I've got this." With a large, fanged grin plastered to his face, Natsu put his hands over Lucy's rear and began to push.

Lucy suppressed a squeal, her face burning crimson. "N-Natsu! What the hell are you doing!"

"You said to push! So here I am!"

"You could've used my feet!"

"This is more effective!"

And sure enough, Natsu managed to push the blonde through, Happy catching her at the end to make sure she didn't land with a crash. With that, Lucy rushed to the window and reached out, trying to throttle Natsu.

"I'm going to kill you tomorrow, you got that?" she threathened quietly.

Natsu whistled and crossed his arms behind his head. "Whatever you say, Luce! Yukino and I gotta get going. We gotta walk to the castle and it'll take a while."

Yukino stepped forward and smiled at Lucy and Happy. "Thank you so much for your help. If my sister wakes up, just tell her where I am. I don't want her to get too worried. Don't worry, she won't do anything to you."

Lucy and Happy shared a tense glance. They never told Yukino about her sister's threats.

"Okay," Lucy replied, smiling at the other girl. "Make sure to have a lot of fun!"

Yukino nodded, giving them a wave before moving down the path to give them some alone time with Natsu before they left.

Natsu frowned, staring into Lucy's eyes.

"Be careful, alright?" he said.

"I will," Lucy assured with a smile.

Natsu's frown only grew. "I don't wanna go to this stupid ball without you guys."

Lucy caressed his cheek before planting a small kiss over it, not caring if Happy teased her or not. Luckily, he didn't.

"We'll go to the next one. You promised, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Then go so that you guys aren't too late."

Natsu nodded, gesturing for Happy to come by the window. He smoothed the cat's blue fur down before grinning at him.

"Make sure to protect Lucy, okay?" he said.

Happy smiled. "Aye, sir!"

"If anything happens, fly both of you out of here."

"We'll be fine," Lucy chimed in. "No go already, Natsu! You're keeping a girl away from her true love!"

"I'm doing that either way," he reminded the girl, smirking as she blushed. "Later, guys! I'll bring you back some food!"

"Bye, Natsu!"

With that, Lucy and Happy shared a heavy sigh as Natsu jogged to catch up with Yukino. Now Lucy was really envious. Natsu was going to spend his first ball with some other girl. She knew it couldn't be helped and she trusted him completely, but it still left a bad feeling with her.

"What do we do now?" Happy whispered.

"We lay down and go to sleep?" Lucy suggested. "We need to be in Yukino's bed. We'll take turns every hour, one of us can sleep while the other is on watch."

The two tiptoed towards the other room of the house, the one that Sorano didn't go to. It was definitely Yukino's room, as excerpts from various newspapers covered the entire walls. This must be how someone spends their time if they have nothing to do and no connection with the outside world.

The two approached the small bed and began to climb in. They winced, however, when the bed creaked with every movement they made. Their slow movements backfired, so they quickly climbed in, their hearts racing as they threw the covers over them. It was so loud, there was no way Sorano wouldn't wake up.

Sure enough, they heard the other bedroom door creak open. Lucy clutched Happy protectively to her chest, allowing him to feel how fast her heart was beating. She had her hands over her keys, ready to summon one if needed.

Their breaths caught in their throats as they heard their door being opened wider.

"Yukino?" Sorano sleepily called out. She rubbed her eyes, which glanced on the lump on the bed. "Are you just now going to sleep?"

Lucy nodded under the blanket, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. She couldn't voice a reply, knowing that she and Yukino sounded nothing alike.

Luckily, Sorano was half awake and simply shrugged it off. "Okay. Well try to get some sleep and be quieter next time."

Lucy and Happy suppressed sighs of relief as they heard Sorano's retreating footsteps. They made sure to be quiet as they listened to make sure Sorano was going back to her room.

Sorano released a loud yawn as she opened the fridge. After having been woken up, she realized that her mouth was incredibly dry and she wouldn't be able to go to sleep in such a condition. She grabbed a glass of milk, about to chug down its contents when something caught her attention.

Feeling a cold breeze, Sorano squinted her eyes at the window and walked towards it to inspect it. It was unlocked and open, allowing cold air to enter. It was then that she felt it. Her face paled and she clenched the glass tight in her hand, nearly shattering it as she felt three foreign magical traces left behind on the window.

Placing her glass down, Sorano walked calmly back into Yukino's room, where the suspicious lump laid still.

"Hey, Yukino?" Sorano called out again, hatred and suspicion flashing through her eyes. "Did you open the window?"

Lucy and Happy's breaths caught in their throats as their eyes widened and they suppressed the urge to face palm. How could they have forgotten to close the window? Lucy swallowed thickly and nodded beneath the covers.

"Oh? Well why did you open it?"

Lucy inwardly cursed. She was hoping she could get by with nodding her head but now she had to speak. Trying her best to mimic Yukino's voice, the blonde answered, "I-It was hot."

Lucy waited for a reply in the tense silence, unsure if her imitation worked.

"Really? I thought it was pretty cold."

"U-Umm, I guess we're different temperatures?"

Lucy wanted to smack herself.

To her luck and relief, however, Sorano replied, "Alright. Get some sleep. And next time, close the window."

Lucy nodded her head frantically, glad that her mimicry had worked. She loosened her hold on Happy and released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Once Sorano's footsteps reached the doorway, she stopped.

"Kill them."

* * *

Natsu and Yukino awed at the sight in front of them as they entered the city. Every building, lamppost, and flower pot was strung with lights. It was crowded with people wearing fancy dresses or suits, all of them headed towards the castle.

The two walked towards the castle, which stood proud and decorated with the same strung lights. Guards were stationed outside of the castle and did quick checks on the guests before allowing them entrance to make sure they didn't have any weapons. Natsu eyed a nearby bench before turning to Yukino.

"I'm going to wait out here," he said, crossing his arms behind his head.

Yukino quirked a brow. "You aren't coming in?"

"Nah. I want my first ball to be with Lucy and Happy, no offence."

The girl merely smiled. "None taken. You two are a cute couple, I understand completely."

Natsu's cheeks flushed and he ducked behind his scarf to hide them. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You read the story. You're supposed to fall in love with the Prince. He's your true love."

Yukino flushed as well and averted her gaze. "I can't say I believe in that part of the story. It would be nice, but there's no way someone, least of all the Prince himself, would fall in love with someone like me."

"I thought the same with Lucy but the book doesn't lie. Well, it gets some details wrong, but for the important details it's always right!"

Yukino giggled. "Well, we'll see then. Thank you for escorting me here, Natsu. I'll see you after the ball."

Natsu grinned at the shy girl. "Have fun."

With that, he went back to sit on the bench. He was looking forward to the surely extravagant food the castle had to offer, but he was happier this way. He didn't care for balls, but Lucy made it clear she did. And he wanted his first ball to be with Lucy. His first everything to be exact. So, the boy sat and stared at the stars, his mind wrapped around a certain blonde.

* * *

Yukino trailed into the castle, the joyful music filling her ears and guiding her feet towards the rest of the people. Everyone was waltzing or engaging in idle chatter in small groups. Smiles were etched on the faces of everyone in the room.

Yukino surveyed her surroundings. The castle was magnificent with elegant paintings posted to the wall and velvet curtains over the windows. The floors were made of marble tiles and the ceiling had an intricate pattern made with stained glass.

Yukino's eyes then widened as her eyes landed on a handsome boy across the room, a jewel encrusted crown topping his blonde locks of hair. She could make out a scar over his right eyebrow. For a Prince, he didn't dress as elegantly as the girl figured he should, especially when he was throwing a ball. In fact, his outfit brought a blush to her face.

His outfit was a lot like Natsu's in the sense that he wore an opened vest trimmed with fur, nothing underneath, revealing chiseled abs. He wore white pants, though most of them were covered by strange boots that ran up his thighs and hooked onto the hem of his pants. Over most of his arms were blue gloves to match his vest, stopping just below his bicep.

Yukino flushed, her heart pounding within her chest. So that's the man she's supposed to fall in love with? He sure was attractive.

" _Prince Eucliffe,"_ Yukino thought, her lips forming a smile in awe at the boy. She had known his name from the countless newspapers she owned. " _He's much more handsome in person."_

In an attempt to calm the blood rushing to her face, Yukino moved her gaze to the two people on either side of the Prince.

To his left stood another boy, the same height though the rest of his features seemed to be the complete opposite. While the Prince seemed to be the embodiment of light, this boy was like darkness. His hair was black as night and he was adorned in a black cape with gold trimmings. She could make out something like armor covering his legs before the cape covered the rest of his legs.

To the right of the Prince stood a girl that appeared a couple years older than them. She had dark, navy blue hair, some of it tied up into little buns on her head. She wore bright blue eyeshadow. From where she stood, Yukino could see bright red lipstick over the other girl's lips. She wore a tight dress that showed off her voluptuous curves, the sides cut out and exposing her legs.

Just as Yukino was about to move on and check out the rest of the place, the girl by the Prince moved towards a microphone and tapped it with her stiletto red nails twice and gathered everyone's attention.

"Hello, every," she greeted. "I'm sure you all know what we are here for today. We are looking for the lucky lady to wife our Prince. Now, here is our _wonderful_ Prince."

Yukino wanted to giggle hearing the older woman's sarcasm and watching as the Prince glared at her before approaching the microphone.

He turned to the crowd once again and gave them a grin, showing off his pearly white fangs. "Thanks for coming, everyone. Just as Minerva said, I am looking for someone to become my wife. But, just like I told Minerva and Rogue before, I'm not going to just marry anyone. I want a happy marriage, so go ahead and try to win my heart tonight."

The Prince gave a lopsided smirk, one that Yukino was sure gained the hearts of many women. Hell, it made her own heart patter nervously in her chest. The Prince then surveyed the room, the smirk never leaving his face until his gaze landed on her. And Yukino knew for a fact he was looking at her because nobody was standing beside her. His mouth was slightly parted as he stared at her.

Yukino, growing embarrassed, turned away and briskly walked towards the food. She wanted to slap herself. The Prince, who was supposed to be the love of her life, was staring at her and she foolishly walked away. She was wasting Lucy and the other's efforts on her.

With a heavy sigh, Yukino stopped in front of the food table. Despite the table of extravagant food, the girl wasn't feeling too hungry. She was just trying to break eye contact with the Prince.

Unluckily for her- or perhaps luckily, she wasn't sure yet- the Prince had other ideas.

There was a gentle tap on her shoulder and Yukino turned to find the Prince smiling at her. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest realizing how close he was to her, she could feel his breath fanning her face.

"Hi," he said, holding a hand out to her. "Wanna dance?"

Yukino snapped out of her trance and gave a formal bow. "H-Hello, Prince Eucliffe!"

The boy laughed at her formalness and corrected, "Call me Sting. I know I'm Prince and all, but those formalities make me feel like an old man."

"M-My apologies, Sting…" The name rolled off her tongue so easily, as if she was made for speaking it. "I'm Yukino."

The boy's grin grew and he reached his hand closer to her. "So do you wanna dance, Yukino? Or maybe stare at the food longer?"

Yukino flushed and nodded, accepting his hand. He led her to the middle of the dancefloor. She could feel the envious gazes of the other girls around them but she didn't care. He was supposed to be her true love, not theirs. This was her one night of happiness, she wasn't going to waste it.

"So what are you doing here by yourself, Yukino?" Sting asked, staring deeply into her brown orbs.

Yukino's blush deepened and she realized that Sting's eyes were a rich shade of blue. They were enticing. "I'm, uhh, out to have a good night."

"I like that answer. And are you having a good time?"

"Of course! Everything is so breathtaking."

Sting chuckled. "That was Rogue's idea. He thinks the reason I'm not finding anyone to marry is because I'm not trying hard enough. But it's not like he's married yet either."

"Is what you said true? You don't want to just marry anyone?"

"Of course," Sting answered, giving her a heart-stopping grin. "I only plan on getting married once, so the girl that I marry has to be someone I have fun with. Someone I can grow old with that looks out for my kingdom's safety. But mainly the first part. The fun part. I wanna have a fun life."

"I thought Princes were supposed to prioritize their kingdom," Yukino replied.

"I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'll lay my life on the line for everyone. But that doesn't mean I can just give up my own happiness. Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

"I only got this gig to help me find my dad. He went missing a while ago and I figured as Prince I would have more connections. Then I could find my old man."

"Did you ever find him?"

"Nope. Not yet at least. Over time I guess I got used to the job and now here I am."

"I'm sorry about your father."

"Don't be. I'm okay now. I'm just trying to live life to the fullest now."

Sting gave her another grin, one that Yukino returned. So far, everything was going swimmingly. Sting was funny, smart, and caring. He was also looking for a fun time, which she was too.

" _Natsu was right,"_ Yukino thought with a smile. " _The book doesn't lie."_

* * *

About an hour later, Natsu instantly hopped to his feet, his eyes widened and laced with worry as his jaw dropped on its hinges. In the distance, he could see smoke in the direction of Yukino's house. And knowing that there was nothing by their house, he knew that it was surely coming from Lucy and Happy. They were in trouble.

He needed to get back to them pronto.

Natsu rushed inside the castle, pushing past the guards that tried to check him for weapons. They chased him as he ran through the castle searching for Yukino. He didn't want to cut her time short but his friends were in danger.

Catching her scent, Natsu raised a brow as he followed it through the halls of a castle. He stopped before a room, the door closed. He could smell another person inside along with Yukino. He threw the door open and immediately blushed. Yukino pushed Sting away, who was previously sucking her neck.

Yukino, her face burning crimson, asked Natsu with a breathy voice, "Is something wrong?"

Natsu groaned, not wanting to deal with that. Without saying a word, he simply grabbed Yukino's wrist and dragged her away quickly.

"Natsu? What's wrong?" Yukino tried again.

"Lucy and Happy are in danger," Natsu replied. "We have to hurry up and get to them."

Yukino opened her mouth to reply when she tripped over her own foot, her white heel coming off in the process. With a frown, she opted for leaving it behind and threw the other one off as well to run more easily. With that, she gave Sting one last longing glance before running behind Natsu, on their way back to her house to see what kind of trouble her sister was causing.

* * *

 **AN:** I liked this chapter haha. Pretty proud of it.

Thanks to the sweet reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, animequeen100, Lunahartz, ThayetJade, MasterGildarts, CupcakeGoddess22, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, Kirinah, Nalulove.** You guys are awesome. :)


	67. Chapter 67

**AN:** QOTD: What FT character are you most like personality wise? I think I'm a mix between Gray and Cana haha.

* * *

Chapter 67

Lucy v. Angel

Lucy nodded her head frantically, glad that her mimicry had worked. She loosened her hold on Happy and released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Once Sorano's footsteps reached the doorway, she stopped.

"Kill them."

A bright green glow peeked through the blanket and Lucy screwed her eyes shut in preparation of an attack. Luckily for her, Happy was quick to react and pulled her out from the blanket and flew her out of harm's reach.

Lucy opened her eyes to find Yukino's bed destroyed. Then her eyes landed on a metallic machine, next to whom was Sorano, who was shooting daggers at them with her eyes.

"Thanks for the escape, Happy," Lucy said, reaching for her keys.

"Aye," Happy replied.

"What have you two done?" Sorano asked, her voice low and threatening. "Where is my sister!?"

"You already know the answer to that," Lucy replied. "She's at the ball where she should be and probably falling in love as we speak."

"You _idiots!"_

To Lucy's surprise and dismay, Yukino pulled out a golden zodiac key. "Gemini!"

In a bright light, Lucy could make out two figures. They looked like blue dolls in her opinion. They floated beside each other, moving in sync. Then, they transformed into an identical version of herself.

Lucy grabbed a key of her own.

"Open, Gate of the archer, Sagittarius!"

The spirit arrived in less than a second, saluting to nobody in particular as he greeted, "Moshi, moshi."

Lucy turned towards Happy.

"Happy! Go get Natsu!" she ordered.

"But what about you?" the cat asked with a frown. "I should stay and help you!"

"Don't worry about me! She's a celestial mage, though. I can't have my spirits fight other spirits! It's not my fighting style and I refuse to! So please, go get Natsu!"

Happy reluctantly sprouted his wings and turned towards the open window, ready to fly through it. Within seconds, he was out the window and on the dirt path leading towards the city.

Gemini, who was still imitating Lucy, gave a sinister smile as she commanded, "Sagittarius, shoot him down."

Lucy gasped as Sagittarius began to sweat, his eyes widened and his body growing rigid.

" _He must be manipulated!"_ the blonde figured. She forced his gate closed to be safe.

But that was a big mistake.

Gemini grinned and raised a mock zodiac key in the air.

"Open, Gate of the archer, Sagittarius!" the spirit summoned mockingly. Sagittarius reappeared, immediately confused. "Now, Sagittarius, shoot him down."

Lucy watched in horror as Sagittarius had no choice but to shoot. The arrow went straight for the window. Lucy jumped towards it in hopes of grabbing it before it could reach Happy, but to her dismay, the arrow suddenly curved around her and went through the window. She rushed towards the window in order to warn her friend, only to see him get hit by the arrow.

"Happy!" Lucy cried. She didn't have much time to worry, however, as Sagittarius began to shoot an array of arrows her away. She screamed and rushed behind the kitchen counter, arrows flying around her.

The house was way too cramped to fight in. She needed to get out. But how the hell was she going to get of when Sagittarius was shooting arrows her way and Sorano still had another spirit also waiting to attack her?

There was only one option left, and it was risky.

Mustering up all of her courage, Lucy peeked her head over the kitchen counter and hastily turned on the sink. She ducked as an arrow flew straight towards her face, dodging it by a hair. She blindly reached for the water and placed a key underneath it.

"Open, Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

Water sloshed around in the sink, starting to build up and overflow until Aquarius appeared, her mask of annoyance glued to her face.

"You summoned me from a sink?" Aquarius questioned, her brows furrowing in irritation.

Lucy chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head. "H-Hey there, Aquarius. Do you think you can get me out of here?"

Mischief flashed through the spirit's eyes. "No problem." She then gave a loud battle cry, twirling around with her urn and creating a large typhoon that had enough pressure to break down the walls of Sorano's house.

Lucy grew dizzy as she was swept with the harsh current, though she did get what she asked for. She was now outside and had a much better fighting chance.

Standing up on wobbling legs, the blonde pointed towards the enemies. "Get rid of them, Aquarius!" A nasty look from the spirit had her adding, "Please!"

"Tsk. I'll make this quick," Aquarius replied. She was about to swing her urn again when Sorano smiled and pulled out a key of her own. Before Aquarius could make her move, the girl summoned another spirit.

"Scorpio!" Sorano shouted while waving her key.

The spirit appeared in a bright light. He was an odd-looking spirit, like most of them were. His short hair was split through the middle, one half being red, the other white. He was shirtless, though he had some strange collar around his neck that honestly made him look like a flower in Lucy's opinion. He wore black gloves and his arms were covered with a layered metal, the same layered metal that sprouted from his back and formed a menacing tail with a barrel coming from the inside of it.

What happened next had Lucy's jaw dropping to the flooded soil.

"Honey!" Aquarius gushed, hearts in her eyes as she dashed towards the other spirit and brought him in for a tight hug. Her personality had undergone a complete transformation in a matter of seconds.

"H-He's your boyfriend?" Lucy questioned, her face pale. "He's the one that you're always talking about?"

Aquarius turned back to the blonde, darkness surrounding her features as she threatened, "Say something embarrassing in front of Scorpio and I'll drown you. Got it, brat?"

"Y-Yes!"

Scorpio took that as his cue to introduce himself. With a calm grin, he held his hand out to the blonde.

"Nice to meet ya, Aquarius' owner!" he said, shaking her hand.

"Y-You too."

Scorpio then turned back to his own master. "Angel! I'm gonna go take Aquarius out on a date if that's cool with you!"

"Go for it," was the girl's response.

With that, Scorpio and Aquarius were headed back to the Spirit World, ignoring Lucy's pleads to stay and leaving her alone with her enemy.

Sorano smiled at the girl's helplessness. Gemini was about to summon Sagittarius again, only to be stopped by the silver-headed girl.

"Why did Scorpio call you Angel?" Lucy questioned, bringing her gaze to meet the other girl's. It sounded so familiar...

"Because that's what I make them call me," Sorano answered. "It's the name I used for a long time. Only Yukino is allowed to call me by my real name." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Speaking of Yukino, I'm going to have to go get her back now. It's been fun, but it's time for you to die. Caelum!"

The metallic spirit from before began to glow green as it was going to fire another attack. Lucy scrambled to grab a key.

"Open, Gate of the ram, Aries!"

The timid spirit appeared and immediately created a protective wall of pink wool to defend against Caelum's attack. Once his attack stopped, Lucy sent Aries back through her gate with an appreciative thanks. She wanted to save her magical power, for she was about to summon her strongest spirit.

Angel gave a wicked laugh. "You never learn, do you?"

Gemini smiled as well and shouted, "Open, Gate of the ram, Aries!"

Lucy cursed as the spirit appeared by Gemini's side.

Angel frowned. "She's not really one for attacking though, is she?"

"Nope," Gemini answered. "Aries specializes in defense and seduction."

"Oh well. Caelum, go again!"

Lucy screwed her eyes shut, ready for the incoming attack. Luckily for her, it never came. A bright light shined around them as Loke passed through his own gate and carried Lucy away from Caelum's attack.

"Loke!" Lucy exclaimed. Boy was she lucky.

"Evening, Princess," Loke greeted calmly. "You always seem to find yourself in trouble, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just help me out, would you?"

"My pleasure."

Lucy and Loke stood side by side in fighting stance.

"Gemini has Aries under his control," Lucy said with a frown. "Do you think you can go after Angel?"

Loke glanced towards the other celestial mage. "I can easily take out Gemini."

Lucy shook her head feverishly. "No. I don't want spirits fighting each other, remember?"

"But Gemini isn't contracted to you."

"It doesn't matter. You are both spirits and I don't want you fighting. It's just not right."

From across the battlefield, Gemini's eyes widened and a frown formed on their face- or Lucy's face, considering they were still imitating her. Why did she care if they fought? Surely she just considered them as tools. She was a human, that's how humans thought of spirits. They were nothing but weapons. Even Angel, who never physically hurt any of them, didn't truly care for them. They were simply there to do her dirty work.

Did this girl actually care about her spirits?

Gemini shook their head and furrowed their brows. No. That wasn't possible. She was a human.

"Loke, let's get Angel!" Lucy shouted as she rushed towards the other celestial mage.

Gemini frowned and sent Aries to block Loke's attack.

"I'm sorry," Aries said. "I can't help it."

"I know," Loke assured with a calm smile. He kept trying to avoid Aries' attacks without countering. In a hushed voice, he told the spirit, "Don't worry, I have a plan."

Loke jumped back to avoid one of Aries' wool bombs, landing beside his owner. Lucy panted, growing tired. She summoned three of the zodiac, not to mention her lack of sleep. She was exhausted.

"Ready to end this?" Loke asked, smirking at the girl.

"How?" Lucy asked in return. "This is impossible without hurting any of the spirits!"

"We've been training, right? Just follow my lead!"

Loke lunged towards the enemies. Aries tried to put another wall up in defense, but Loke was too fast.

"Lion Brilliance!" Loke shouted, effectively blinding everyone. "Lucy, go!"

"Okay!" the blonde shouted back. Closing her eyes, she began to chant, "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens… All the stars, far and wide…"

Once Loke's light died down, Angel's eyes widened in fear as she watched Lucy beginning her spell. She could feel the blonde's magical power flowing around them. Whatever spell she was using, it was a strong one.

"Gemini! Get her!" Angel shouted frantically.

The spirit rushed towards Lucy, who was vulnerable as she was chanting. Loke tried to stop him, but Aries put a wall up to block him. Gemini stopped just before the blonde, who peered up at the spirit. They stared at each other in silence before memories suddenly filled Gemini's mind. _Lucy's_ memories.

There were so many different memories flooding Gemini's mind, all of them showing Lucy's love for her spirits. She was kind and cared for each of them. She wasn't power hungry or cruel. No, she was full of kindness, respect, and most importantly, love.

Tears flowed from Gemini's eyes. "I can't… I can't hurt someone that loves for their spirits this much."

Lucy's eyes widened along with Angel's as the spirit went back through their gate, taking Aries back with them. Loke grinned at his master.

"You got it now, Lucy?"

The blonde grinned.

"I've got it." With that, Lucy began the rest of her incitements. "Oh 88 stars of the heaven… Shine!" Lucy opened her eyes to reveal golden magic circles over her brown orbs.

Sorano cried out in fear as the constellations swirled around her, their light brighter than anything she had ever seen before. Faster than she could see, their magic came crashing down on her, knocking her out cold within seconds.

Lucy grinned and fell to her knees in exhaustion. Last month, she nearly killed herself using Urano Metria. Now, she could use it and summon another spirit if she wanted to. It would be pushing it, but she could do it.

Now that Angel, Sorano, whatever the hell she wanted to be called was defeated, Lucy laid back on the wet soil and stared up at the stars that shined over her. Her eyes began to droop closed, and she let them.

* * *

Back at the castle, Sting frowned as he looked over his balcony, a white heel in his hands. Below him, he could see all of the guests finally leaving. It was clear by their laughter that they had a good time. And for the first half of it, he did too.

He and Yukino hit it off instantly upon meeting each other. They were getting to know each other, sharing smiles and laughter, and then one thing led to another and they were making out in a supply closet. From the warm feeling that rose in his chest at the mere thought of the girl, he could say without a doubt that he had found the woman of his dreams.

No other girl made him feel the way that he did when he was around Yukino or simply thinking about her. Minerva, his assistant and also leader of his Royal Guard, set up plenty of dates to find a woman for him to marry. But he turned down all of them, for none of them made him feel happy.

Yukino was the first and only one to do such a thing.

Footsteps sounded from behind him, but Sting didn't need to look to know who it was.

"What do you want, Rogue?" he asked with a heavy sigh. "I haven't found anyone yet, if that's what you're here for."

Rogue, his advisor, stood beside him, peering over the balcony.

"Then what's that shoe in your hands for?" he asked. "It seemed to me that you two were getting along well. More so than anyone we'd ever seen you with. And from your mixed smells in the supply room, I think you are aware of this."

"Doesn't matter," Sting replied with a sour glare. "Turns out she had a boyfriend already."

"What makes you say that?"

"Some other guy came and took her away. He looked angry too, probably because we were kissing."

"Maybe you misunderstood."

"I doubt it. She was way too perfect to be single anyways."

"Okay, so she's not single. Is that going to stop you?"

Sting glanced towards his best friend and raised a questioning brow. "What? Of course it is."

Rogue shrugged. "It seems like you love her. And it also seemed like she loved you. I think you'll be doing that guy a favor. If you two are meant to be together, make it happen."

"What am I supposed to do? Fight the guy?"

"If it comes down to it, why not? I have never experienced anything like this. But as your advisor, this is my advice to you. Go and get her. We are dragon slayers. We can handle some random guy."

Sting gave a wide grin. "You're right! I love her, Rogue. I'm sure of it!" He tightened his grip over the shoe in his hand. "Let's go get her!"

* * *

 **AN:** So what did you guys think of the newest battle? I thought it was alright. Not as good as the one with Lucy v. Midnight though imo. Anyways, this arc is ending soon! Then we'll be on our last story, Beauty and the Beast! :') But don't worry, there will be plenty of more chapters after the storybook is over. We have lots to resolve. ;)

Thank you to the reviewers: **Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, MasterGildarts, wordsaremyspells1331, jenmercado808, Shadow Joestar, Kirinah, Alexa60765, animequeen100, CupcakeGoddess22, Dragneel562, KitKat2648, Soul Eater Maka, DaddyDragneel, Crazymagic16, ThayetJade, An Amber Pen, Nalulove.** I'm glad more of you started to review that chapter. :')


	68. Chapter 68

**AN:** QOTD: Since we did personality-wise last time, which FT character do you look like the most? I think I look like Cana the most. She is the only brown haired girl I can think of lol.

* * *

Chapter 68

Prince Charming

"Lucy! Lucy, wake up!"

The blonde groggily opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Happy was by her side, prodding her with his paws. He had a nasty bruise from where the arrow hit him- luckily it had been a curved-tipped arrow, still strong enough to injure someone but not to kill them.

"I'm up now, Happy," Lucy assured, smoothing down his blue fur. "I was just taking a little nap."

The cat's features brightened immediately. "Lucy! You're alright! And you won!"

"I sure did. How are you though, Happy? Are you feeling okay?"

"Aye! It's just a bruise!"

"That's good. Sorry about that, by the way. I didn't know that Gemini would be able to summon Sagittarius if I closed his gate."

"It's okay. What are we going to do now? We destroyed Yukino's home."

"Well, I was hoping the plan would've worked and she would be falling in love with the Prince right now. Then she could move in with him."

As if on cue, Natsu and Yukino came rushing towards them, their eyes wide with worry. Yukino gasped seeing all of the destruction around them. Her house was destroyed, her friends were bruised, and her sister was lying unconscious. What the hell happened in the few hours they were gone?

"Lucy! Happy!" Natsu cried, crouching beside them and checking their injuries. "Are you guys alright? What happened?"

"We're fine," Lucy assured, stroking the boy's cheek to calm him down. She then chuckled nervously as she admitted, "We may have forgotten to close the window after sneaking in. Angel ended up catching us and I had to fight her."

"Who's Angel?"

"Sorano. I don't even know when I started calling her that. But she has her spirits call her that and I thought it was easier to say."

"My sister attacked you?" Yukino asked, her eyes wide. She looked back at her sister and bit her lower lip. "I never thought she was capable of something like that."

Lucy frowned, pitying the other girl. "People will go to great lengths to protect those dear to them. In fact, I don't think your sister was wrong for fighting me. She did it because she thought she was protecting you. I would fight anyone if it meant protecting my friends."

Yukino nodded but the frown remained on her face. Though she understood her sister's reasons, it didn't excuse what she had done.

Yukino didn't want to live in isolation anymore. Well, she never wanted to in the first place. But now that she had tasted freedom and fallen in love, the girl refused to be stuck in a cramped house and away from civilization any longer. It was time to have a real talk with her sister, but how was she supposed to do that if Sorano reacted like this finding out she was gone for a mere three hours?

Still, Yukino felt bad for causing her sister to worry so much. Sitting by Sorano's unconscious side, the girl brought her head onto her lap to give her some comfort.

A bright light emerged from Sorano's other side as two spirits went through their gates on their own. Lucy's eyes widened in shock as Gemini and Scorpio picked up their keys and walked towards her. Scorpio grabbed one of Lucy's hand, ignoring Natsu's territorial growl, and placed his key in her palm, Gemini doing the same.

"We want you to be our owner," Gemini stated, flying around the blonde.

"W-What?" she asked in shock. "Me?"

"Yes. We want an owner that cares for their spirits. During our fight, I saw your memories and I saw how much you love your spirits. We want that for ourselves."

"We're sorry about before, but we want a fresh start now," Scorpio added. With a toothy grin, he added out of context, "We are!" That must've been his catchphrase. Most of the spirits had one, it didn't surprise Lucy that he had one as well.

Lucy wiped away happy tears from the corners of her eyes and gave them a dazzling grin. "I'd love to bring you two into my group of friends. But what about Sorano?"

"We're breaking our contracts. We want you."

Lucy nodded and smiled at them again. "Thanks, you guys!" She felt a bit guilty taking someone's keys, but after knowing that they were treated as weapons rather than friends, she accepted their offer.

With that, the two spirits went back through their gates after waving goodbye to their new master. So many things were happening, it was hard keep up.

Just then, Sorano's blue eyes groggily blinked open, a groan immediately escaping her lips. Her body ached from head to toe as bruises raked her body. Everything happened in a bright flash, she wasn't exactly sure what had happened to her.

"Nee-san!" Yukino exclaimed, tears of mirth welling into her eyes to see that her sister was safe. "You're awake!"

The girl glanced towards her sister, hissing in pain from the small movement. Lucy really did a number on her.

"Yukino…" Sorano breathed out. Her eyes watered and she gave a shaky sigh of relief. "You're alright… I was so worried."

Yukino frowned. "I'm okay, Nee-san. And I'm sorry for leaving without letting you know. It's just…" She bit her lower lip, hesitant to continue. Her older sister took care of her for years and was always looking out for her wellbeing. How was she supposed to tell her she was tired of being locked away?

Sorano frowned, easily reading her sister's expression. Another long sigh escaped her as she turned her head away.

"You want to see the outside world. I know."

Tears slid down Yukino's cheeks as she nodded. "I'm sorry, Nee-san. I'm so grateful to have you looking after me. I know I should be content with that but I'm not. I want to see more of the world. I can't stay here anymore."

"But Yukino, the outside world is dangerous," Sorano urged desperately. "People are evil! You'll never know what's going to happen!"

"Not everyone is evil, Nee-san!" Yukino gestured towards Lucy, Natsu, and Happy, who were watching awkwardly. "Look at these three! Lucy is the savior to King Heartfilia's curse! She has no reason to help any of us but she does simply because she's a good person! And Natsu and Happy are right there with her!"

"Look at what that girl did to me! Clearly she's not as good as you say!"

Yukino gave her a pointed look. "She only hurt you because you attacked first."

Sorano looked away. "Even if there were some good people in the world, that doesn't mean everyone is."

"I know. But I'm tired of living in fear. I fell in love, Nee-san."

Sorano's eyes widened and she whipped her head back to face her sister, pain erupting from the motion. After taking a few calming breaths, the girl asked, "You what?"

"I fell in love," Yukino repeated, her cheeks turning pink. "I found my soulmate thanks to Lucy and the others. He's really funny and smart. He's also very kind to me. He's the Prince, actually."

"The Prince? You fell in love with the Prince?"

"Yes. And I believe he feels the same."

"No. Just no. It's not safe to be around other people, Yukino!"

"Sting isn't like the people that took you away! And I'm sure most people in the world aren't either! I may not know Sting well yet, but I believe that he wouldn't even hurt a fly!"

Just as Sorano opened her mouth to retort, the group heard incoming footsteps rushing towards the destruction. Everyone turned towards the path to find three people running towards them, Yukino recognizing them all.

Sting grinned at the sight of Yukino, his heart skipping a beat as he rushed towards her. Then his eyes landed on the same boy that whisked her away from him. The pink-haired boy stood beside a sitting blonde and a blue exceed, his head cocked to the side with a quirked brow. Narrowing his eyes, Sting pointed at the other boy.

"You!" he shouted.

"S-Sting?" Yukino called out. "What are you doing here?"

The said boy lifted his hand to reveal her forgotten heel resting in his palm. Without taking his eyes off of Natsu, he replied, "I followed your scent back here. I'm here to fight for you! I know that you're with this guy but I believe we're destined to be together!"

The mouths of everyone in the group dropped to the floor as they stared at the rambunctious blonde. Lucy turned her head towards Natsu, raising a brow to which he threw his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Natsu cried with a loud gulp. He was more fearful of what Lucy would do to him if she got the wrong idea.

"Oh so you're a two-timer, huh?" Sting asked, snarling at the boy.

"What the hell are you talking about? What is happening right now?"

Sting growled and got into fighting stance. His fists glowed with a white light and scales began to grow from his skin.

Natsu's eyes went wide and he gaped. "Wait, you're a dragon slayer?"

"Sure am," Sting answered. "So is Rogue."

The black-haired boy standing away from them get a curt nod as he stood by a girl with dark hair and red lips.

Without giving Natsu a moment to gather his thoughts, Sting lunged forward and punched him in the gut, sending him spiraling backwards into the debris.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried.

The said boy rose and gave a maniac grin, his fists enveloped in flames.

"So you wanna fight? I'll show you who's the stronger dragon slayer," Natsu threatened. He dashed for Sting and swept his feet out from below him. With that, an epic battle between two dragon slayers began.

Sorano glared at her younger sister. "So the boy you fell in love with- the one that you believed wouldn't hurt a fly- came running here and started a fight."

Yukino nodded wordlessly, her cheeks red from embarrassment. She should've been upset that Sting was fighting her friend but in truth, she felt flattered. The Prince was fighting for her because he was in love with her. Now she had no doubts at all.

Lucy sighed and threw her head back, staring up into the dark sky.

"Why can't we have just one normal story?" she groaned. Rising to her feet, the blonde walked towards the two dragon slayers who were practically wrestling on the ground. With great precision, she grabbed them both by their collars to stop them from fighting. "Can we please just talk this out?"

Sting replied between pants, "No! I have to win Yukino!"

"Let me go, Lucy!" Natsu added, squirming in his hold. "I'm gonna kick this jerk's ass real quick!"

"No," the blonde replied. "You aren't fighting anyone. Yukino, can I get some help here?"

The other girl nodded, gently placing her sister's head back on the ground and jogging towards them. Yukino flushed as she met Sting's gaze.

"Alright," Lucy began, "I'm going to let go of you two, and if you try fighting again then Yukino and I are going to beat you both senseless. Got it?"

The two dragon slayers reluctantly nodded, prompting Lucy to drop their collars. They glared and growled at each other but didn't make any moves to attack. Lucy sighed in relief. She was exhausted enough. She didn't want to deal with childish dragon slayers.

"Now what is going on?" Lucy asked, looking towards Sting.

The other blonde grumbled, "I fell in love with Yukino at the ball. I know it was only a few hours but I know how I feel. But then this guy took her away. Rogue told me I should fight for what I want, so here I am."

Lucy glanced towards the two that stood away from them. The girl slapped the dark-haired, brooding boy on the arm.

"You seriously advised him to go fight for a girl?" she asked, biting back a laugh. "That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

The boy, Rogue, shrugged. "That's what they do in the books I've read. What would you have done, Minerva?"

Minerva sighed. "Not that, that's for sure. Sting, why in the world did you ask Rogue of all people what to do? He has no experience at all."

Sting shrugged and answered, "He's one of my best friends and he's pretty smart. Why not?"

Lucy looked back to the Prince. "Well, you don't have to worry about Natsu, alright? He's with me."

Sting arched a brow and glanced towards Yukino. "Wait, so you aren't with this guy?"

Yukino shook her head. "No, I'm not. It's a long story."

Lucy, feeling an oncoming headache, grabbed the storybook in hopes of making the whole situation easier to understand. Rogue and Minerva sat beside Sting and read the story along with him, their eyes widening and mouths parting from shock.

"Yes, it's your story. Well, mainly Yukino's," Lucy said just as Sting opened his mouth. She was beyond glad that they only had one last story left. Things were getting far too repetitive for her taste. With a heavy sigh, the blonde continued, "To break King Heartfilia's curse, I have to bring back happy endings, yours included. So yeah. Can we just skip ahead to when things are alright?"

Natsu snickered, nudging the girl. "Wise words coming from the savior."

"Aye," Happy added. "Lucy's getting lazy."

"Shut up," the blonde said with yet another sigh. "I just wish I was done having to explain all of this stuff over and over again. And I'm also tired of fighting. I just want to relax at a damn beach and drink some freaking mimosas. Is that too much to ask for?"

Natsu chuckled. "Yep. Way too much."

Sting stared into Yukino's eyes with curious wonder. So he had been right. They really were meant for each other. But what about the story? She had been locked up all this time? He turned his head to find another girl that looked a lot like Yukino but with longer hair laying on the dirt, her head turned away from them. She must've been Yukino's sister, the one that kept her away.

Sting rose to his feet, brushing off his knees and ignoring Natsu's warning growl. Hesitantly approaching Yukino's sister, he swallowed thickly as she turned her head to face him and delivered a harsh scowl. But that wasn't going to stop him.

"My name is Sting Eucliffe. I wish to marry your sister."

Yukino gasped, staring at the boy with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. He was so blunt and moving much faster than she had expected. But then again, they were making out in a storage closet not too long ago despite only meeting that day. Perhaps that was how their love was. Fast and unpredictable. Not to mention the fact that the point of the ball was to find a wife.

And she definitely would not oppose the idea.

Sorano glared harshly at the boy and spat, "Over my dead body. I will never hand Yukino over."

This didn't deter Sting. "I promise I will protect her with my life. I don't know your story, but I do know that you just wanted to protect Yukino. And I'm glad she has such a caring sister in her life. But as her sister, don't you think it's important to teach her to stand up to her fears instead of cowering away?"

"Shut up! You don't know the hell I've been through! Don't go criticizing how I protect Yukino!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't just back down. I love Yukino and from what I can tell, she loves me too. I want to be with her."

Yukino took that as her cue and walked towards them, shyly sliding her hand within Sting's. With a frown glued to her face, she addressed her sister. "You could live with us, Nee-san. The guards will always be there to protect us."

"You expect me to move in with a bunch of strangers?"

"No. But the offer stands. I love you, Nee-san, and I am eternally grateful for you." Determination gleamed within her brown orbs. "But I decided I'm going to live my life the way I want to from now on. I love Sting, and I want to marry him too. I won't change my mind on the matter."

Sorano bit her lower lip as tears welled in her eyes. "It's always been just you and me…"

"I know," Yukino replied, tears pricking her own eyes as well. "But things have to change, Nee-san. This is how I am going to have my happy ending. The book says so and I believe it. You want me to happy, right?"

Sorano nodded her head, the tears she had been holding in finally slipping down her cheeks. With a shaky voice, she answered, "Of course I do."

"Then let me go. You don't have to move in with us, I understand that you're more comfortable away from people. But if you want to continue seeing me, you have to let me go."

Everyone sat in a thick silence, waiting for the older sister's answer. Sorano stared up into the night sky, watching as the stars twinkled up above and brought light to the dark. She had been irrational, she knew that. She had read the book, after all. She had long since known about Yukino's unhappiness but pushed away her guilt, telling herself that it was for her own safety.

But perhaps she had been wrong.

If Yukino was willing to go through such great lengths for freedom, then surely there was an error in her judgement. And if Yukino was threatening to break off contact if she didn't comply, then she failed as an older sister.

Scrubbing away salty tears, Sorano sobbed, "I only wanted to protect you."

Yukino nodded, crouching down and wrapping her arms around her sister. "I know. Thank you, Nee-san. But it's time I start looking out for myself."

Sorano nodded, admittedly reluctantly. "Alright. I get it. I'll let you go. But you have to promise to visit me every day."

Yukino nodded frantically and gave a smile brighter than the stars above. "Of course! Thank you so much, Nee-san! You're the best sister ever!"

"W-Whatever…"

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy shared a collective sigh of relief. _Finally_ the story was over. The story had taken them the longest and it was pretty lackluster but it was done. Just to be extra sure, Happy retrieved the book from Minerva.

Clearing his throat, he read aloud, "The two sisters came to an agreement, and Cinderella's sister agreed to let her go her own way. Soon after, Cinderella and Prince Charming had a large, beautiful wedding. No longer was Cinderella alone. With a new relationship with her sister, new friends, and a loving husband, Cinderella was able to live happily ever after."

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 **AN:** Sorry there was no big Natsu v. Sting fight. I went for more of a humorous approach and honestly I didn't see them having a huge fight over the misunderstanding when everyone else was there to correct them lol. Anyways, glad this arc is pretty much finished! Its sole purpose was for Lucy to get Gemini and Scorpio's keys haha.

Thanks as always to the sweet reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Kirinah, MasterGildarts, ThayetJade, DaddyDragneel, jojrre, Lunahartz, Alexa60765, Nalulove, pixiecatost, Soul Eater Maka.** :)


	69. Chapter 69

**AN:** GUYS GUYS GUYS! THIS STORY NOW HAS OVER 1000 REVIEWS! AHHH! This is my first story to get 1000 reviews so I'm really happy about that! There will be a sneak peek at the end! :D QOTD: What is your favorite Disney movie? :) I already said this in the beginning of the story but mine is Mulan lol. I used to watch it like every day lmao.

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Chapter 69

Lucy woke up feeling like royalty. With a loud yawn and bright smile, the blonde rose in her extravagant bed full of thick comforters and plush pillows. Everyone had been invited to spend the night at the castle, which she hastily accepted.

Her room was one she expected of a castle with large windows covered by velvet curtains. The furniture was regal, crisp white in color. She had a large vanity with a squeaky clean mirror and a desk with a chair. In the center of the room sat a white loveseat. Her bed, which was pushed in the corner, even had _curtains._ Surely only members of royalty had curtains to block the sunlight from disturbing their slumber.

The bathroom was just as nice with a large bathtub, which she was in the process of using at the moment. The sink had marble countertops and large space. If she had any makeup, it would make for an excellent counter. And for the first time in so long, she was able to use soft toilet paper rather than the thin crap that hotels offered.

So yes, Lucy was enjoying her brief stay.

Lucy relaxed deeper into the water with a content hum. After her fight with Angel-Sorano- whatever the hell that girl wanted to be called- the blonde's body definitely could've used it, though she wasn't too banged up. Still, her muscles thanked her as the water worked wonders for her body.

After her long bath and shower, Lucy's fingers were pruney like raisins. Grabbing two towels off of the rack, the girl sighed, happily putting them to her face. They were so soft and thick! What else in the world could she possibly want?

Wrapping one around her golden hair and the other around her body, Lucy left the bathroom, a trail of steam following behind. Her chocolate orbs immediately narrowed at the sight of her partners lounging on her bed, one of them wearing his shoes, mind you.

"Natsu. Happy. Out," Lucy ordered, pointing to the door.

The two ignored her and greeted her with wide grins.

"Morning, Luce!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Took you long enough!" Happy added. "You're going to bring this place to poverty with how much hot water you take!"

"Oh hush," Lucy replied, crossing her arms over her ample chest in a pout. Grabbing clothes from her suitcase, she made her way back to the bathroom. "I'll be right back after I change, then we can read the next story."

Natsu watched her leave, his eyes glued to her sashaying bottom. With his exceptional eyesight, he could see drops of water grazing down her skin. The drops that he had previously seen delving between her breasts and into the towel had him swallowing thickly, his groin twitching in his pants. Thank Mavis he wore loose sweats.

Natsu secretely wished Happy wasn't there so that he could indulge himself with Lucy's skin. They hadn't had any time for intimacy since they took turns on watch, which was a little over a week ago. She was his fix and he was itching to touch her skin again.

Once the door closed behind Lucy, however, Natsu forced himself to get his act together. Shaking his head, he rid himself of all dirty thoughts.

Glancing towards his other partner instead, Natsu found that Happy had opened the storybook and placed it on his lap. Upon further inspection, the boy found that he was rereading the story of Snow White. Or rather, he was simply staring at the words, surely reminiscing about a certain white exceed he had been getting to know not too long ago.

"Missing Charle?" Natsu asked with a sympathetic frown. He felt bad for Happy. He was one of his best friends, who had been there for him through thick and thin. Happy was always there to help him search for Igneel and now that he had found someone he cared for himself, he had to separate for a while. Of course, he had chosen to himself to stay with his friends, but still. Natsu could only imagine how terrible it would be being separated from Lucy.

"Yeah," Happy answered with a nod, his eyes deep with sorrow. "Do you think she misses me too?"

"Of course she does! She'd be crazy not to!"

"You're just saying that."

"Am not. I mean it, buddy."

"But she didn't feel the same about me," Happy said with a heavy sigh. "I think she found me annoying."

"I don't think that at all," Natsu replied, crossing his arms behind his head. "Maybe a little at first because she was worried about Wendy, but she warmed up to you. Remember when you cheered her up? There's no way she found you annoying after that. I guarantee it."

Happy perked up, a small smile gracing his face. "Yeah, you're right."

"And even if she doesn't feel the same way about you yet, there's plenty of time! And after we finish the storybook, we can start Operation: Steal Charle's Heart!"

"Aye! I'm all fired up!"

Natsu grinned, ruffling the cat's fur. It was then that Lucy stepped out of the bathroom, now dressed and ready for the day in one of his favorite outfits of hers. Though most of her creamy legs were covered by brown boots that stopped mid-thigh, the outfit had plenty of sex appeal. She wore a short white skirt with a brown belt, her keyring attached to the belt loop. Tucked underneath her skirt was a skintight, blue tank top with a white stripe and zipper going up the center and up to a white collar, a golden bow tied underneath it. Over the stripe were horizontal, golden clasps that truthfully Natsu didn't see the point of considering she had a zipper. The tank top had severe cuts in the side, giving plenty of side-boob action. The next part of her outfit was strange, but somehow aroused him, he believed because it reminded him of his own clothes. She had one fingerless glove that went up to her bicep and her other arm adorned a simple, ruffled bracelet. Her golden hair was tied into a high, side pony with a blue ribbon.

Natsu swallowed thickly, the tingling sensation of his groin returning as Lucy joined them on the bed. He could smell her unique scent, one that was intoxicating, a mixture of vanilla and honey.

"What's the next story?" Lucy questioned, getting comfortable on the bed.

Happy flipped the pages until he landed on their next adventure. Raising his brows, the cat answered, "Beauty and the Beast. This is the last story!"

Lucy squealed and clasped her hands together as she exclaimed, "I love this story! I always thought that if I was a Disney Princess, I would be Belle!"

Natsu and Happy both choked on their saliva. Oh the irony. If only she knew that she was already a different Disney Princess, whatever the hell Disney was. They still hadn't figured out what the blonde meant by that.

"U-Umm, how about you read it now, buddy?" Natsu suggested, wanting to change the subject.

"Aye," Happy replied, seemingly having the same thoughts. Clearing his throat, he read, "Once upon a time, there lived a young woman by the name of Belle. Belle was a beautiful girl with brown locks of hair and equally brown eyes. Though Belle didn't have much money, she was content with her life so long as she had a book in hand.

"Belle loved reading more than anything. There wasn't a day that went by in which she hadn't drowned herself in at least one book. She was known throughout her quaint village for her smarts, which wasn't common among girls- or much of anyone, really. While most girls had their heads wrapped on marriage, Belle's mind was focused on education."

"She is like you, Luce," Natsu noted, arching a brow. " _Hell, she's Rapunzel, the savior, and the Scarecrow. Who knows, maybe she's this chick too."_

Lucy nodded with a bright grin. "This is why I love her! Oh, I can't wait to meet her!"

Happy cleared his throat and began to read again, "But being a beautiful, smart woman had its obstacles. Men were attracted her like moths to a flame, persistent and unyielding. One of the many men that constantly fought for her attention, Gaston, was determined to win Belle's heart and make her his. Though Belle always tried to let him down politely, Gaston refused to take no for an answer. It became tiring for her. He became overly clingy and possessive."

"Pretty accurate so far," Lucy noted. "Gaston was really annoying. Go on, Happy."

"Things got worse for Belle. Her quaint town was pillaged by a beast every night. He was a creature with fur covering his body and had claws sharper than needles and jagged teeth that could tear through bone. The beast swept through the town every night and stole food, jewelry, furniture, just about anything he could get his hands on.

"The town tried to rally against him and stop the beast, but he was too fast and strong for all of them. Only a few townspeople were able to catch glimpses of the beast, though they didn't live to tell about it. Belle, though scared of the creature's wrath, wasn't personally affected until one night, the beast scavenged the library and took nearly every book. The ones he left behind were torn to shreds.

"To make matters worse, Gaston was growing more and more possessive by the day. He was planning on making her his wife, and knowing him, he wouldn't take no for an answer. With steely determination, the courageous girl ventured off to find the beast's lair. She didn't want to be like the other girls, who were stuck at home as mere dreamless housewives. She wanted to be one of the girls from the novels she read. The brave ones that went on courageous adventures.

"So, Belle travelled deep into the woods until she came across a dark castle, which had clearly not been taken care of. Warily, she went inside and found the beast. He was about to attack, but the fire in her eyes had him curiously studying her instead."

"This story is long," Natsu complained.

"Oh hush," Lucy scolded.

Happy waited for their bickering to end before continuing, "Belle demanded that the beast return the books he had stolen and to stop terrorizing the village, to which the beast agreed on one condition: she was to stay and be his maid. Belle warily agreed, wanting to be a hero. At first, the beast was nothing but hostile towards her. But over time, he grew softer and more affectionate. Soon enough, they had fallen in love. But not everyone was happy with their situation.

"Gaston's possessiveness grew to unhealthy extremes and darkness clouded his heart as he stormed the castle in search of Belle. He intended on rescuing her, but what he found was something he had least expected. He had walked in on them sharing a passionate kiss. With fury in his eyes, Gaston shot the beast through the heart. The beast's eyes shut and were never to open again. Gaston then dragged Belle kicking and screaming, away from the castle and her lover and locked her away with him."

"Well that escalated quickly," Natsu stated with a low whistle. "Didn't see that coming. What was the story like in your world, Lucy?"

"Most of it was pretty accurate," Lucy said again. "The only major difference was that the beast wasn't stealing from the town. And the ending was way off, of course. Gaston did shoot the beast, but he lived. And with true love's kiss from Belle, he was able to turn back to his old self."

"So we have to stop the beast from getting shot," Happy added.

"Sounds like it. And stop Gaston from taking Belle. I always hated him. He was such a sexist pig!"

Natsu shrugged before crossing his arms nonchalantly behind his head. "I'm pretty sure it's from the curse."

"What do you mean?"

"If we go through the stories, all of the bad stuff with all of the characters happened after the King's curse. I think that it darkens some people's souls. Like Karen. Hibiki and the others said she wasn't always evil."

"I guess you do have a point," Lucy replied. "Fine, then we'll just try to change Gaston's way of thinking instead of locking him up!"

"Aye!" Happy cheered. "What are we doing now?"

"Now, we say goodbye to Yukino and the others and head out. I want to hurry up and finish our last story so that we can start our actual lives!"

The three traveled through the castle, Natsu's nose leading the way. Lucy was about to scold him realizing that they were entering the dining room, believing that he had forgotten what they were planning to do in favor of getting food. But after throwing open the doors, Lucy found that mostly everyone was inside the dining room, eating breakfast.

"Lucy! Natsu! Happy!" Yukino greeted with a smile brighter than they had ever seen on the girl's face since knowing her, which admittedly wasn't long. "Come eat with us!"

Lucy nodded appreciatively while Natsu and Happy raced towards the food, immediately scarfing some down and making a mess. Yukino, Sting, Rogue, and Minerva sat on one side of the long table stacked with food while Lucy, Natsu, and Happy sat on the other.

"So you're dragon slayers?" Natsu asked, his mouth stuffed with a large turkey leg.

"Yep," Sting answered with a grin. "We're known as the Twin Dragons!"

"Oh, you two are brothers?" Lucy asked, arching a brow.

"Not really, no. But we've been friends since we were kids and our magic is opposites of each other, so we got that nickname. I use white dragon slayer magic, by the way. And Rogue uses shadow dragon slayer magic."

"That sounds pretty cool," Lucy admitted, ignoring Natsu's jealous mutters.

Sting opened his mouth to reply when the door was thrown open. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy turned to glance at the incomer, expecting to see Sorano but they were surprised, to say the least. Standing in the doorway were two exceeds.

One had mostly maroon fur, save for his face, paws, and tip of his tail which were pink. He wore an opened, blue vest and he smiled upon seeing Sting. Wings sprouted from his back and he rocketed into the dragon slayer.

The other had Lucy and Yukino squealing with how adorable he was. He had large eyes and green fur, most of it being covered, however by a pink, frog-like costume. The cat waddled up to Rogue, whose entire demeanor changed immediately. The once brooding boy was now gushing over the cat, greeting him with a wide smile and blush.

"Let me get this straight," Lucy began. "You three are dragon slayers and you all happen to have exceeds. Wendy, another dragon slayer we met, _also_ had an exceed. What kind of coincidence is that!?"

With that, the two cats turned their gazes to their visitors. Their eyes landed on Happy and the maroon cat narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, a cat," he said in a mocking tone.

"I'm not just a cat! I'm an exceed like you!" Happy argued, returning the glare.

"Fro thinks so too!" the other cat chimed in, causing Lucy and Yukino to swoon.

The maroon cat scoffed. "You aren't in our league."

"Now, now, Lector," Sting scolded. "Play nice. If it wasn't for Happy and the others, I wouldn't have been able to meet Yukino."

"What kind of name is Lector?" Happy teased behind his paws.

Lector glared at him. "Says the one named Happy!"

"Before we have a literal catfight here, can we just have a normal breakfast?" Lucy asked with a sigh.

Everyone nodded in agreement, having generous helpings of freshly cooked food. When they finished, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy went to their rooms and began to pack. It didn't take long for them to finish so they quickly regrouped with everyone else in the throne room.

Natsu, wanting to continue their conversation before, faced Sting and Rogue and questioned, "Were you two trained by dragons?"

Sting's brows furrowed. "Of course. We're dragon slayers."

"He only asks because we met another dragon slayer that had the magic because they had a lacrima implanted within them," Lucy explains.

Natsu reclaimed control of the conversation as he hesitantly asked with hard eyes, "What happened to your dragons?"

Sting and Rogue shared somber looks as the former answered for his quieter friend, "Rogue's died of illness and mine disappeared."

"When?"

"Natsu, that's a bit personal…" Lucy interjected.

"It's okay," Sting assured, though he wore a solemn frown. "It happened around thirteen years ago for Rogue, eleven for me."

"Both after King Heartfilia ordered for the elimination of dragons," Natsu spat, his anger bubbling within him. Admittedly, he felt guilty for hating Lucy's father. But could anyone blame him?

"Yes, but it is purely coincidental," Rogue finally chimed in. "Again, it happened from illness."

Still, Natsu was bitter towards the King. He couldn't help but blame him, even with this coincidental instance. It was impossible not to. The King had brought him so much suffering, he had grown used to blaming him for all of his problems.

Lucy cleared her throat, wary of Natsu's bad mood. "Well, we should get going now. Before we go, we wanted to ask if you have any hints as to where to go next."

"Is there anything specific to help us?" Yukino questioned. "Of course, I surely won't be able to help since I don't know many people."

"This might not be helpful at all, but we are looking for a girl that has a strong love for books. I'm talking _really_ strong love for books, as in she reads at least one a day. Umm, oh! The town is also being ravaged by a beast!"

"That sounds terrible!"

"I haven't heard anything about a beast," Minerva stated. "So it must not be anywhere near Crocus."

"Sorry, I don't have a clue," Sting added with a shrug.

"Really? You haven't heard of a town being ravaged by a beast?" Happy asked incredulously.

"Neither have you," Lector reminded him.

"Fro thinks so too!" the adorable cat chimed in.

To their surprise, it was the quietest member of the group that had a suggestion for them. Rogue met Natsu's gaze as he stated, "I'm not sure about this. It's quite a stretch."

"That's okay," Lucy replied. "Anything helps."

Rogue carried Frosch in his arms as he explained, "Before Skiadrum died, I travelled the country for any books that could help find out the cure for his disease."

"Why not go to a medical mage?" Happy asked.

"Can't trust anyone else," Natsu answered for the other dragon slayer. "The dragons were being hunted down, he couldn't just go and tell someone about a dragon's location."

Rogue nodded. "I hoped I would find the answer in a book. I travelled to Tulle, where there is a prestigious library, better than the one in even King Heartfilia's castle. The reason I am saying this is a stretch is because there was no beast of any kind. However, I did meet a girl."

"And you think it was Belle?"

"Possibly. When I went to the library, there was a girl. We were children at the time. I believe she was your age, just a couple years older than Sting and I. She was in the medical section and she saw me trying to pick through books. She asked me what I was looking for. I thought she was an employee, so I told her Skiadrum's symptoms in hopes she could help."

"What happened next?" Happy asked.

"She started listing multiple possible diseases. She sounded like a professional, so I asked if she was a doctor or medical mage. She told me that she wasn't, but that she had read every book in the medical section except for the book she was currently reading simply because she loved reading. Then she recommended some books and I took it back but… By the time I got back, it was too late…"

"I'm sorry for your loss," Lucy said sympathetically.

"It's fine," Rogue replied, not wanting to brood over the topic for too long in front of strangers. "She also told me that she read half of the other books in the library. Might I remind you we were only children. So I believe that she could be the girl you're looking for."

"Thank you so much! I think this is a really good lead! Where was it again that you met her?"

"Tulle. But again, there was no beast and this happened over a decade ago. There's no guarantee that she's still there."

"It's okay about the beast. It probably started recently, just like all of the other stories in the book. Now the other concern could be an issue… Well, we'll never know unless we go there ourselves and find out! I guess we should start heading out now."

Yukino frowned and brought the blonde in for a hug. "Thank you so much for all of your help. If you ever need anything, feel free to ask."

"Actually, I do have something to ask," Lucy said. With a frown, she continued, "Can you tell your sister that I have her keys? After our fight, the spirits came to me and wanted to make a contract so I accepted… But I feel a little bad about just taking them…"

"It's alright," Yukino assured. "The spirits chose you. I know you'll take great care of them."

"Where is your sister going to stay anyways?"

"Apparently she has old friends in Clover Town that she's going to stay with. I'm going to call her every day."

A lightbulb suddenly went off in Lucy's head. Angel was one of the dwarves, the one that went to be with her long lost sister! The one that Midnight was going to give her keys to!

Lucy smiled. "That's good for her. I hope she's happy."

"Me too," Yukino replied.

The two girls smiled and shared another hug after being led to the front of the castle. After saying their goodbyes, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy went on their way to their last story but not their last adventure.

* * *

 **AN:** Who do you guys think Belle and the Beast are? ;D I'm sure you already know who they are lol. But what about Gaston? :D Btw, I start school on Wednesday and it's an hour's commute away so updates will be slowing most likely. Here is the well deserved sneak peek!

 _But as another hour passed with a wordless Lucy, the two grew worried and antsy. They didn't like not hearing Lucy's whines and huffs and all the other sounds she made. It was like she was lifeless and her body was moving on its own. They missed her voice and her teases. It was as though a large part of them was missing._

Thank you to the reviewers: **Kirinah, Shadow Joestar, DaddyDragneel, MasterGildarts, Lizz Cold 790, pixiecatost, KitKat2648, nelly1210, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, ThayetJade, Crazymagic16, Juvia is my spirit animal (x52), Nalulove, WatcherOfStars.** I actually got 65 reviews since the last time I posted which was a few days ago! Granted, 52 of them were from Juvia is my spirit animal but still! I'm so happy about it. :')


	70. Chapter 70

**AN:** QOTD: Who is your favorite spirit? :D Mine is definitely Loke. Plue and Aquarius are close seconds haha! I just love his backstory! He honestly had one of the best backstories in FT. Like who would've expected he was a spirit? And his relationship with Lucy warms my heart. (I have a soft spot for LoLu lol.) Wish we saw more of him in the last arc!

* * *

Chapter 70

Silent Treatment

The trio was on their way to the last story of the book: Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately for Natsu, it was miles upon miles away, meaning that they had to travel by train. So, he was currently laying with his head on Lucy's lap, his stomach churning and his cheeks green. At least the other passengers couldn't see him in such a pathetic state- Sting had granted them access to their own cart after helping them out.

Lucy sighed and combed her fingers through the boy's pink locks. Of course she felt bad for him. Nobody liked seeing their loved ones in pain. But his whines and whimpers were growing incessant and they had only been travelling for about thirty minutes.

Happy, who was sitting on the other bench across from them, snickered. "Poor Natsu. Can never catch a break."

"Apparently neither can I," Lucy mumbled. "Eww, Natsu! You just drooled on me!"

"Sowwy," the dragon slayer replied, his puffy cheeks infringing on his normal speech.

Lucy groaned. "How am I supposed to make it three days with you drooling on me the entire time?"

Natsu, too pained to even reply, simply groaned again.

That was how the next three hours had transpired; Natsu drooling on her leg while endlessly complaining rather than trying to sleep, Lucy rubbing her temples in annoyance, and Happy switching between teasing them and scratching up the seats. In other words, it was complete hell for Lucy. So much so that once they reached the next train station, she had crazy, bloodshot eyes and disheveled hair. Even worse, she couldn't stand being on that train anymore.

Cursing under her breath, the blonde grabbed her stuff and begrudgingly left the train without sparing her two partners a glance. She knew they were following her, of course. She could hear Natsu's eager footsteps trailing behind.

As the train started again and resumed its journey, Lucy muttered more incentives under her breath. She paused, however, when Natsu spoke.

"It worked!" Natsu cheered.

"Aye!" Happy replied. The two gave a high-five. "It looks like drooling is the answer!"

"Can't go wrong with you clawing at the seats either! You know how Lucy is. She would be too cheap to pay for the damages! Of course we'd get off!"

A vein ticked in the blonde's forehead and she turned on her heel to face the two, her eyes narrowed as she gritted out, "You two were doing that on purpose?"

"Aye!" Happy answered, snickering behind his paws. "It was Operation: Annoy Lucy So We Don't Have to Ride the Train!"

The pain Natsu and Happy felt the next millisecond was indescribable. They yelped and fell to the floor, clutching their heads as Lucy glared harshly at them, her arms over her head and clutching her backpack, which she had just bashed over their heads.

"You _idiots!"_ Lucy shouted. "Now it's going to take longer to get to Tulle! We have people to save!"

"Cool your jets!" Natsu replied, much to the girl's annoyance. With a nonchalant shrug, he continued, "We have time. And you're the one that got off the train."

"Because you two annoyed me so much that I had to!"

"If you got off the train, then you know we have time. So c'mon! Let's get walking!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the two and replied, "So you want to annoy me, huh? Well you two are about to get your asses handed to you, you got that? Dragneel, Happy, get ready to face my wrath."

The two laughed it off. They were the masters of mischief and destruction, there was no way Lucy would be able to get under their skin the way they got under hers. It was an empty threat. She would surely forget about it in the next half hour.

Or so they thought.

* * *

During their three hours on the train, the group managed to reach Gallowstown. They needed to travel through Dawn City and Marza Valley before they reached Tulle. And though it would only take them less than a few more hours to reach Tulle by train, it would take them three days by walking since Lucy refused to walk throughout the night.

For the first couple of hours of walking, Lucy had tried everything to annoy her partners. She used a nasally, high-pitched voice that was so obnoxious, it was worse than listening to someone scratching a chalkboard. She attempted to trip them occasionally, but they would only dodge and laugh, saying that they saw it coming. She even tried messing with their food, which she was sure to rile them up. Instead, however, they merely chuckled and shook their heads at her fruitless efforts of revenge.

Due to her now aching legs and mosquito bites, Lucy still hadn't forgotten of her anger with her partners. Revenge was a must at this point. Not only were they making her walk _again_ for three, exhaustion-filled days, they also laughed and underestimated her. She wasn't going to go down without a fight. But nothing seemed to annoy them.

" _Maybe annoying them isn't the answer,"_ Lucy thought as she led the way. After her attempts at tripping them, they insisted that she led the way. " _Maybe what I need to do is scare them. Then I'll have them begging for forgiveness and they'll know not to mess with me again!"_

An eerie grin etched itself on the girl's face as she pictured them groveling at her feet. How was she going to get her clingy friends to do so? Well, she had an idea…

* * *

Natsu frowned as he stared at the back of Lucy's head as she led the way, using the map in her hands as a guide. It had been an hour since Lucy had tried to annoy them last and in that hour, she hadn't said a single word. Hell, she hadn't even spared them a glance. She just walked in complete silence as if they weren't even there.

Natsu glanced down at Happy, who seemed to be thinking the same thing if his confused face was anything to go by. Wanting to get to the bottom of it, Natsu carefully approached the blonde, watching for any sudden attacks. He matched her pace and walked by her side, peering at her face. Lucy didn't even acknowledge him, only kept walking.

"Lucy?" Natsu called out, waving a hand in front of her face. She didn't even blink. "Hello? Earthland to Lucy?"

The girl only looked down at the map before staring ahead once again.

Happy flew on the other side of Lucy. With a smug grin, the cat questioned, "Are you trying to give us the silent treatment? That's not going to work on us, Lucy!"

"Oh, is that what she's doing?" Natsu asked, smiling as well. "Happy's right! That's not gonna work! We're your best friends, you can't ignore us forever!"

Instead of acknowledging them, Lucy kept walking in the direction of Dawn City. Natsu and Happy shared a laugh. There was no way she was going to be able to ignore them for long.

But as another hour passed with a wordless Lucy, the two grew worried and antsy. They didn't like not hearing Lucy's whines and huffs and all the other sounds she made. It was like she was lifeless and her body was moving on its own. They missed her voice and her teases. It was as though a large part of them was missing.

So, they started to scheme. Perhaps if they annoyed her enough, she would lose it and yell at them.

Meanwhile, Lucy wanted to laugh aloud. It was obvious that their armor was starting to crack and that she was getting to them. Admittedly, she had wanted to speak countless of times. She almost broke seeing their frowns. But they pushed her to this point, it was time she showed them not to mess with her.

A couple hours later, Natsu and Happy decided to put their plan to action. It was getting darker, meaning it was the perfect time to activate their first plan. Happy's wings quietly sprouted from his back and he hovered slightly over the ground, creeping silently towards the unsuspecting girl up ahead who was leading the way. When he was right behind her, he slightly brushed his tail over the girl's ankle.

A shiver ran through Lucy's spine as something brushed against her leg. Stifling a scream, the girl forced herself to stay staring ahead. Happy had done this to countless of times, it was redundant now. Knowing it was just Happy, she kept walking without a word.

Natsu and Happy clicked their tongues in disappointment. Alright, so that plan didn't work. That's okay, they had plenty more up their sleeves. They were experts at annoying Lucy.

Natsu glanced towards Happy. When he knew he had his attention, the boy nodded towards some bushes ahead of their path. Happy nodded in understanding, sneaking away to initiate their second plan.

Lucy kept her eyes peeled for their newest attempt to get her to make a noise. Her feet were starting to ache after walking for so long and all she wanted to do was complain. Still, she wouldn't give in. Not yet.

Just as Lucy walked past a bush, Happy jumped out screaming bloody murder.

"AAAAGH!" Happy shouted, waving his arms frantically in the air.

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction and her heart stopped for a second before beating so fast she felt that it was going to beat out of her chest. Despite this, she somehow managed to stifle a scream and keep her mouth shut.

Natsu and Happy groaned. They were sure they were going to make Lucy scream that time. Not even a peep came out of her! If scaring her wasn't going to get her to acknowledge them, they had to step it up.

"Come ooon, Lucy. Talk to us already," Natsu said. "Look, walking isn't even that bad!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed. "Luuucy!"

"Lucy!"

"Talk to us, Lucy!"

"Luce, Luce, Luce! Do you think these sweats make me look fat?"

The two went on like that for so long, they lost track of time. And yet, Lucy was just as lifeless as before. Natsu and Happy frowned, sharing a worried glance with each other. This was not how they were supposed to spend their day.

Meanwhile, Lucy stopped in her tracks. It was too dark to keep on walking, they needed to set up camp for the night. Pulling her small sleeping bag out of her backpack, she laid it out in front of her. Then, she gathered all of the sticks nearby so they could make a fire.

"Oi, Happy," Natsu began with a frown, "I think we should apologize."

"Aye," the cat replied with a nod. "I don't like Lucy like this."

The two approached Lucy, who was making a pile of sticks, and got on their knees. They bowed to her and praised her like she was their God.

"We're sorry, Lucy!" they cried in unison. "We'll never do that again!"

Lucy ignored them, moving back to her sleeping bag.

The two followed her.

"We'll just take the train text time, I promise!" Natsu said. "And we won't annoy you as much anymore!"

"Aye! And we'll limit how much we annoy you!" Happy added.

Lucy finally turned to look at them, giving them a pointed glare. "Promise we'll ride the train next time?"

"We promise!"

"And you won't complain the entire time?"

"We'll do our best!"

The corners of Lucy's lips curled into a smug grin. "Good! Glad to know you see it my way now. Now go start the fire, it's cold."

Natsu and Happy breathed long sighs of relief. To think that Lucy could be so scary without even acknowledging them…

Natsu breathed fire over the collected sticks, creating a large campfire to keep them warm. Happy decided to sleep with Lucy in her sleeping bag for the night. Though he would never say it aloud, the cat enjoyed snuggling with her.

Natsu crawled into his own sleeping bag, staring up at the stars. Once he heard Lucy and Happy's light snores, a frown graced his face.

" _Lucy ignored us all day,"_ he thought his hands forming tight fists. " _And that was just because we annoyed her… If she ever found out that we lied to her about her parents…"_

Natsu squeezed his eyes shut tightly. Just imagining it was too much for him. If she could go all day without talking to them because they annoyed her, there was no telling what she would do if the truth came out. She would likely never speak to them again. And it wasn't like they could blame her. She had every right to react in such a way.

But imagining a world without Lucy was enough to cause tears to prick Natsu's eyes and make him nauseous. Now he was glad that he convinced Happy to go along with his plan. What they were doing was wrong. They didn't deserve Lucy.

But if lying kept her in their lives, so be it.

* * *

 **AN:** Natsu is dead set on not telling Lucy about who she really is. What a shame. :D Btw, remember in the beginning of the story when I said that this story was probably going to be around 80 chapters? Yeah, no this story is probably going to be closer to 100 lol.

Thank you so much to the sweet reviewers: **Juvia is my spirit animal, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, pixiecatost, JustAnotherFan14, ThayetJade, Alexa60765, An Amber Pen, FairyTailxFanGirl, Nalulove, Daquan Harris-Su, Holly Dragneel, DaddyDragneel, animefan393939, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka.**


	71. Chapter 71

**AN:** Back with a new chapter! Hope you guys like it! :D

* * *

Chapter 71

A New Spell

Once the sun rose in the sky, Lucy woke with a loud groan. To think that she would be waking up in a comfortable hotel bed right now if they didn't get off the train was more than annoying. Plus, they would've already been in Tulle, helping Belle and finishing the last story of the book.

Once everyone tiredly stashed away their belongings, they began to drag their feet for the next adventure. Lucy glanced towards Natsu. He was quieter than usual, not to mention more tired. Usually, he was able to get a move on in the morning and it was her and Happy who were too tired. But now he had bags under his eyes and could barely hold his head up.

Natsu dragged a hand over his face and shook his head in an attempt to wake himself up. He didn't get much sleep last night. Thoughts about what Lucy would do if she ever found out the truth continued to plague his mind and keep him awake through the wee hours of the day.

"I'm too tired to walk," Happy complained. "Lucy, carry me."

"I always carry you!" Lucy shot back. "I'll tell you what, we'll take turns carrying each other."

"I call going first!"

"Of course you do."

Lucy scooped Happy into her arms, allowing him to snuggle against her chest. In seconds, the cat was snoozing away.

With that, they traveled in a welcomed silence that stretched over the span of two hours. Dawn City was prettier than Gallowstown. Much like Crocus, Dawn City had a plethora of colorful flowers, though not to the same extent. It was a quaint city, most of the buildings being small cottages. The walkways were simple stones rather than paved sidewalks or roads. People dressed differently here, too. Instead of the fancy clothing people wore in Crocus, the people in Dawn City wore simple dresses or comfortable clothing. Lucy still stuck out like a sore thumb in her miniskirt and tank top, of course.

Passing by a restaurant, Natsu's mouth watered as the smell of cooked meat filled his nostrils. Grabbing Lucy's wrist, he wordlessly dragged her inside, ready for lunch. And after eating a bunch of fruits from Crocus, he was dying to have some meat.

They were seated in minutes, as it seemed to be a slow day for the restaurant. Their stomachs growled as they browsed the menus.

"I'm going to have one of everything," Natsu said, practically drooling over all of the pictures. He and Happy sat on one side of the booth while Lucy sat on the other.

Lucy scoffed. "With what money? Just pick one thing, we don't have time for another one of your feasts. You too, Happy."

Happy opened his mouth to protest when a sudden flash of light glowed beside Lucy. In the blink of an eye, Loke appeared, nonchalantly sitting beside Lucy. The trio gaped at the spirit while he simply picked up a menu, browsing it himself.

"Uhh, Loke?" Lucy called out. "What are you doing here?"

The spirit gave her a smile. "Nice to see you again, Princess." He then turned towards Natsu and Happy, smiling at them as well. They could see his eyes behind his shades, however, and noticed the anger swimming in them.

"You're free to join us whenever you want but if there's something you have to say, you should say it," Lucy said, nudging her spirit.

Loke chuckled and nodded his head. "Alright, alright. I'm here to tell you that I want to train you some more. There is an ancient spell for celestial mages I want to teach you. Only one other person has been able to use it. I may have mentioned her before. Her name is Anna Heartfilia."

"The name does sound familiar," Lucy replied, cupping her chin. "Wait, only one celestial mage has been able to pull it off? What makes you think I can?"

"You're showing even more progress than she did. I think you are on your way to surpassing her. You managed to learn Urano Metria in only a few days while others train months, sometimes years for it."

"Is this spell that much stronger?"

Loke shook his head. "Urano Metria is much stronger. The reason that this spell is so rare is because most mages don't know about it. Also, it can only be used with zodiac keys, and they don't get around much."

"What is this spell you're talking about anyways?" Happy questioned.

"It better not be dangerous," Natsu added, crossing his arms and giving the spirit a pointed glare.

Loke returned the expression. "It's not dangerous. It'll take a bit of control, so it's best we start sooner rather than later. The spell is called Star Dress."

Lucy opened her mouth to question him when the waitress returned with waters. Everyone, Loke included, gave her their orders. She jotted it down before heading back to the kitchen. That is, after flirting with Loke. Lucy merely rolled her eyes.

"Anyways," the blonde began, gaining everyone's attention, "what is Star Dress?"

Loke pushed his shades farther up the bridge of his nose as he explained, "It's a spell that allows you to gain attributes of one zodiac spirit at a time. You can use their magic along with them."

Happy, Natsu, and Lucy's eyes widened as their mouths parted. She would be able to use a spirit's magic? How awesome was that!

A grin graced Lucy's face at the thought of fighting alongside her spirits. Though her whip came in handy along with some of the martial arts Natsu and Loke were teaching her, the girl was glad she would have another way to fight and defend herself. She realized quickly after gaining her magic that the weakness of all celestial mages were the mages themselves. They were usually unable to defend themselves and got in the way. With this spell, things would change.

"I'd love to learn it!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

"That's good to hear," Loke replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a friendly manner. Though, if Natsu's warning growl was anything to go by, the dragon slayer didn't find it friendly so much as flirty. Oh well, he had a bone to pick with him anyways.

"We can start my training tonight!" Lucy suggested, clasping her hands together. "It can be like when I learned Urano Metria. We'll do it at nights so that I don't pass out too early."

"Sounds like a plan," Loke replied with a smile.

"I wish I didn't pass out so much though."

"That's what happens to everyone when they overexert themselves. And in order to learn the spell quickly, that's exactly what you have to do."

"But I've never seen Natsu pass out."

The said boy chuckled and replied, "That's because you weren't there when I was learning magic, Luce. You should've seen how many times I fainted trying to pull off my first Fire Dragon's Roar."

"Besides," Loke began, "you're more than on the right track for your magic. Celestial magic takes more control than most. You've already managed simultaneous summoning and Urano Metria. That's a great feat."

Lucy blushed in modesty. "Well thank you, I guess."

Their waitress returned, rolling a cart that held all of their food. Putting their food in front of them, the waitress left them again, giving them time to eat. With that, the four smiled before digging in.

* * *

Once they found a good spot to set up camp for the night, Lucy eagerly pulled out Loke's key. Without needing to be summoned, the spirit arrived, his signature shades covering his eyes despite the fact that it was dark outside.

"You ready?" he asked with a grin.

Lucy nodded so fast, it looked like her head was going to fly off. "I'm ready! Let's do this!"

Natsu and Happy sat on the sidelines, watching intently with curiosity. Watching Lucy train was entertaining. Her magic was peculiar. No other magic had such rules or bright golden lights, and of course, spirits on call.

"How do I start?" Lucy questioned, placing her hands over her hips.

"Get Taurus' key," Loke instructed. As Lucy did what she was told, he explained, "Since Taurus has been with you since you were born, you have a very strong connection with him even if you weren't aware he was with you. Not to mention he was the first spirit you summoned. Your bond is strong with him. I would teach you Aquarius', but since she's a stronger spirit, it's harder."

"Does having a strong bond make it easier?" Happy inquired from the side.

Loke nodded. "The bond between master and spirit has to be strong in order to use the spell in the first place. The stronger it is, the easier Star Dress is to cast. You don't need to summon your spirits to use their Star Dress, but you need their key."

"What do I do with it?" Lucy asked.

"Channel your power into it but not enough to summon him. Think about using the spell so that Taurus knows what you are doing. Then, he'll give you some of his power. Want to give it a shot?"

The girl nodded. With her arms at her sides, she gripped Taurus' key tightly. Shutting her eyes, she began focusing her magic into his key. She could feel her magical power moving from herself into the key- which was such a weird feeling, she couldn't describe it even if she tried. Then, she felt a bit of Taurus' power leaking into her.

But it wasn't enough.

Sweat dotted Lucy's face and she chomped onto her lower lip. The control it took to keep her magic at a steady level long enough for Taurus to channel his power into her was overwhelming. It was as if she was driving, keeping her foot at the same pressure as if going one mile over or under was strictly prohibited. But here, there was no cruise control. Here, things were harder, more complicated. She couldn't lower her energy nor raise it and it drained her.

With large pants, Lucy couldn't help but stop. Her legs were already growing weak and yet things weren't working.

"You're doing great," Loke assured, patting her on the back.

Lucy ignored him, her brows furrowing as her hands formed tight fists. She was frustrated she couldn't get the spell down.

Natsu, noticing the stress practically radiating off the girl, cheered, "You got this, Lucy!"

"Aye! Keep trying!" Happy added.

Lucy nodded. Exhaling deeply, she closed her eyes again. Pouring her magic into the key, she concentrated until she felt Taurus' power slowly flowing into her again. But just like before, it wasn't enough. Her body began to shake with the pressure that was building within her until finally, she fell to her knees, huffing.

"What am I doing wrong?" Lucy asked between pants, a deep frown spread over her face.

Loke smiled at her. "Nothing. It just takes a bit of practice. Soon enough, you'll be able to transform in seconds."

"I can't help but doubt that."

"Well it's true. Here, try again." Loke helped her to her feet. Grabbing her hand that held Taurus' key, he placed it over her chest. "Hold the key over your heart. It helps the magic channeling."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now try again."

Lucy nodded. She was running out of attempts, so she had to make this one count. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused her magic into Taurus' key. With the key over her heart, the girl imagined memories she shared with Taurus. She remembered the first time she summoned him.

 _Lucy opened her eyes to study the man in front of her and completely blanched. Standing in front of her was none other than a cow with abs. What kind of cow had abs? Not to mention the fact that he could talk. Or that he was wearing a speedo and a choker with a bell on it._

 _"W-Who are you?" Lucy questioned warily._

 _The bull grinned and answered, "I'm Taurus! You summoned me!"_

To her surprise, she felt Taurus' power pour into her faster. Still, it wasn't enough. She felt like she was going to faint at any second.

 _The blonde's eyes widened. "Summoned? What do you mean?"_

 _"That key in your hand. You used it to summon me from the Celestial Spirit World. I've been waiting years for you to summon me!"_

 _"W-What? You mean you've always existed?"_

 _"Mooost certainly!"_

 _"But you come from the Celestial Spirit World? Wait, does that make you a celestial spirit?"_

 _Taurus' grin grew wider as he nodded. "Yep!" To his surprise, Lucy's bottom lip began to quiver as tears welled in her brown eyes. "W-What is the matter!? I am weak against a woman's tears!"_

 _"I-I'm sorry," Lucy replied. "I'm just like Everlue then! I don't want to use other people as weapons or tools!"_

 _"But that is what we are," Taurus informed her. "We are spirits that form contracts with humans to protect them and fight for them. That is how we work!"_

 _The blonde shook her head. "No! I refuse to have people fight for me! I would rather they fight with me!"_

 _Taurus' eyes widened. He certainly got lucky he was paired with a nice master once again. He knew a few spirits that weren't so lucky._

 _"That sounds wonderful!" the spirit exclaimed. "I will fight with you then, Lucy!"_

Reminded of why she began learning the spell in the first place, Lucy bit her lower hip so harshly, she recognized the familiar, metallic taste of blood trickling into her mouth. She couldn't give up. Not when she was so close. If this was going to help her fight alongside her spirits, she would never give up.

Suddenly, Lucy was enveloped in a golden light. The next thing she knew, she was feeling chilly and hearing gasps coming from Natsu and Happy.

"You did it, Lucy!" Happy shouted.

"Whoa! That's a weird costume!" Natsu added. "But I can feel power rolling off of it!"

Lucy finally opened her eyes halfway, for she couldn't manage to open them fully. The first thing she saw was Loke smiling at her, pride swarming in his eyes. A gust of wind blew past, causing her to shiver. Looking down at herself, Lucy gasped.

To her surprise, her clothes were replaced with a cow-print bikini top along with sleeves that went up to her biceps. Her pants were strange, reminding her of Natsu's vest. It left her right leg revealed while her left was covered. Keeping the pants up was a belt with Taurus' zodiac sign on the buckle. In her right hand, the one that wasn't holding the key, was a special whip, white in color with a heart-shaped tip.

"Whoa," Lucy breathed out, her eyes wide and sparkling with joy. "My clothes changed!"

"Your hair did too," Happy informed her.

"It did?" Lucy asked, feeling for her hair. Sure enough, on the top of her head were two buns, reminding her of Minnie Mouse. A wide grin graced her face. "This is amazing! I'm like Sailor Moon!"

"Who?"

The girl scoffed. "Seriously! One day I'm taking all of you back to my world so you can understand all the references I make!"

"Good job, Lucy," Loke said, patting her on the back. He smirked as he continued, "I'm glad my plan worked."

"Plan?"

"Putting the key over your heart doesn't actually help the channeling. I just assumed it would give you the right idea. And it looks like it did. So keep doing that. Anyways, we'll go straight to Aquarius' Star Dress tomorrow night."

"You think I can handle it?" Lucy asked.

Loke chuckled and ruffled her hair. "You've already got the trick down, all that's left is practicing it to make it quicker. You've also got to try out everyone's Star Dress. With each one, you have new abilities."

"What does this one do?" Natsu asked, patting one of Lucy's buns.

"Though she can't do much right now, Lucy actually has Taurus' physical strength."

"What!?" Lucy squealed. Holding her fists in front of her, she grinned. "That's awesome! I'm strong!"

"That's not all," Loke said, smiling at her. "You've got some spells that come along with the Star Dress. You'll have to talk to Taurus about it, I don't know all the details. But I do know that you can shatter the ground easily, especially with that whip."

"Tell me about the other spirits'!"

"I think you should get some rest."

"At least tell me about yours!"

Loke sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win against his stubborn owner. "Mine is the strongest. Because you have Regulus' power, your melee attacks are strong, just like with Taurus'. You can also use my spells."

"What does it look like?"

Hearts formed in Loke's eyes at the thought of seeing Lucy in his Star Dress. "Oh, it would look great on you! It's a black dress that shows off your rack and-"

"Never have this guy summoned when you use his," Natsu interrupted, glaring at the perverted spirit.

Lucy sighed as both boys began staring each other down. Her eyes began to feel heavy and she could barely keep them open. Suddenly, she was wrapped in light again and was back in her original clothes.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Lucy said, snuggling in her sleeping bag with Happy.

Loke took that as his cue to leave, bidding her goodnight.

In seconds, Lucy dozed off into sleep, a small smile glued to her face. With this new spell, she was ready to take on the world.

* * *

 **AN:** I absolutely LOVE Star Dress and can't wait to see it animated! I just had to have Lucy learn it! ;D

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, Guest, MasterGildarts, FairyTailxFanGirl, DaddyDragneel, Alexa60765, Kirinah, Juvia is my spirit animal, ThayetJade, Lunahartz, KitKat2648, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.**


	72. Chapter 72

**AN:** Hello again everyone! :D I know everyone wants to hurry up and start Beauty and the Beast but just be patient with me a little longer! I promise it'll start next chapter! Something VERY important had to happen first for the sake of the story and I hope I did it right. I'm still a bit unsure but I'm happy with how I did things so I hope you are too! To make up for it, the chapter is a bit longer and you should all be happy with the ending! Maybe. Hopefully. We'll see. :')

You'll either love me or hate me for this chapter lmao!

* * *

Chapter 72

The towns seemed to get smaller during their trip. Marza Valley was the smallest town the three of them had ever been in, if it could even be called a town. There were no paved roads, sidewalks, or even a path of stepping stones. Instead, there was just an endless field of green grass.

Despite this, Marza Valley was a nice place. All of the cottages were well kept and everyone was well fed.

Lucy was glad the town was small. That meant it would take them less time to reach Tulle. According to Natsu, it would only take them half a day. Not like it truly mattered, though. They couldn't go looking for Belle right away because Lucy was scheduled to try a new Star Dress that night and couldn't do so without any energy.

Lucy was eager to try using Aquarius' Star Dress. Though the spirit would undoubtedly drench her in water and threaten her, the blonde was excited to see what the form looked like and wondered what kind of spells she could use. Not to mention that she missed Aquarius, despite her foul mood.

As they walked through town, Lucy drank in every sight. She found that nearly every girl was wearing a flower crown and that ever boy had a crown of twirled stems. Finally, her eyes landed on a flyer posted on one of the walls.

Being the curious girl that she was, Lucy strayed from her partners' side, walking towards the flyer. Her eyes lit up as she read the words scribed onto it.

"The town is having a festival!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

An older man standing nearby smiled at her. "You must not be from here."

"You could say that. What is the festival for?"

"Our town holds it every year to thank our Lord for all of our blessings. Marza Valley was nothing but dry dirt, but thanks to her, we can now cultivate the land, which is how our town thrives. So, we use the flowers that we receive thanks to her and make crowns, decorations, and get together for a large bonfire to rejoice."

"That sounds amazing."

"You should come," the man said. "The flowers are free and it's welcome to everyone." With that, he waved to her before excusing himself.

Natsu and Happy met up with Lucy, their brows raised.

"What's up, Lucy?" the latter asked, perching himself on her shoulder.

"There's a festival tonight!" the girl answered. She turned towards Natsu, puffing out her lower lip as her eyes sparkled. "Can we go to this? Please, please, please?"

"We've gotta get to Tulle," Natsu reminded her.

"I know, but we were going to make it there anyways! And I have to train tonight so we wouldn't be helping Belle today! It's just a little bit of fun!"

"You really think it's a good idea?"

"Look, we have given months of our lives helping other people. I love what we are doing for everyone else and I don't regret giving people their happy endings. But we haven't really been able to have a day of fun just for us since I got here. We didn't even go to the ball in Crocus. I think we deserve to give ourselves just this one night."

Natsu studied her. It was clear that she desperately wanted to go, if her pleading eyes and puffed out lip were anything to go by. With a reluctant sigh, the boy gave in.

"Fine, we'll go," he said.

Lucy squealed, jumping for joy. That is, until Happy spoke, his voice quieter than normal.

"Uhh, I don't think that's a good idea," he said, bursting her bubble.

"We'll help Belle, I promise!" Lucy replied, hoping to qualm his doubts.

"It's not that. Look."

The other two followed the cat's gaze and gasped at what they saw. Posted half a foot away from the festival's flyer was a poster, one with two very familiar faces. It was a wanted poster with Natsu and Happy's faces drawn so lifelike, it was impossible to mistake them.

"Shit," Natsu breathed out, glancing around warily. "Why the hell are there posters here of all places?"

"What do we do?" Lucy asked. Her eyes were wide with panic.

"We should leave," Happy answered.

Natsu looked down at the girl. Behind the panic that shone in her brown orbs, he could see disappointment. Disappointment that yet another thing she wanted to do was taken away from her. Except this time, it wasn't by their mission. This time, it was their fault. Their past was ridding Lucy of an experience she wanted to have.

No. He wouldn't allow it.

"No, we won't leave," Natsu said, his eyes hard. "We haven't stolen in months. We're different people now."

"Even though that's true, I don't think a judge would go for that," Lucy replied with a frown.

"Well screw some old judge! We aren't going to run anymore!"

"You don't have to do this, Na-"

"You want to go to that festival, right?" Natsu interrupted.

Lucy nodded. "Well yeah, but…"

"No buts. We're going. We'll just wear disguises. We'll make it work, okay? I don't want to be the reason why you can't go."

Lucy smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around the boy. She pressed her lips against his in a chaste kiss, overwhelmed by her feelings. To her surprise, Happy didn't tease them this time, which she was grateful for.

Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a black hoodie, handing it to Natsu. It was big enough to fit him- she liked to order a size up in hoodies for extra comfort.

"Put that on so that nobody will see your hair," she instructed. "That's the biggest feature of yours people would likely recognize."

"What about me?" Happy asked while Natsu pulled the hoodie over his head.

"I can swaddle you and hold you like a baby?" Lucy suggested with a shrug. "Or you can stay in my backpack and I'll keep it open for you to breathe. You're harder to hide since you're all blue."

"I'll stay in the backpack."

"Right. Sounds like a plan."

* * *

At sunset, the trio followed a group of townspeople towards where the festival was being held. They had been exploring Marza Valley for the past few hours and also buying disguises. Natsu was still wearing Lucy's sweater with the hood covering his hair. He also bought a simple pair of pants so that he wouldn't stand out so much.

Disguising Happy was the tricky part. Being a talking cat guaranteed him the attention of everyone around them. Being a _blue_ talking cat made it even worse. In the end, they went with the idea Lucy had suggested earlier, wrapping Happy in her baby blanket so that he was hidden from everyone else and simply looked like a sleeping baby. He wouldn't be able to enjoy the festival as much but at least he would be present.

The festival was being held in the middle of town where a huge cockpit stood in the center. It was filled with a large pile of sticks and leaves. It seemed like everyone from town was there seeing how crowded it was. A man poured gasoline onto the pile before lighting it up with a match. Deafening roars filled the night air.

As they tried to get closer to the fire, a woman approached them, a kind smile plastered to her face. She wrapped leis around Natsu and Lucy's necks and gave another one to the latter to give to her supposed baby. Then, she handed Lucy a beautiful crown made of white roses and gave Natsu a leafy crown.

Lucy beamed as she admired the flowers. So far, she was having a lot of fun. She was glad that they were allowed just one day for themselves. But disguising Natsu and Happy wouldn't work forever.

" _I was already thinking about talking to King Heartfilia once we finish the storybook,"_ Lucy thought as she gazed into the fire. " _Maybe I can convince him to pardon Natsu and Happy for their crimes."_

Natsu's sudden voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"I'm gonna eat the fire," he said, his eyes lit with mischief as he practically drooled at the giant flames.

"You better not!" Lucy shouted, turning a pointed glare his way.

Opening his mouth, he teased, "Here I go! I'm gonna do it!"

"No!" Lucy quickly clasped her hand over his mouth to prevent him from eating it. Natsu cackled behind her palm, tears brimming his eyes. He could even hear Happy softly chuckling in amusement. Then, he licked her hand to make her even more annoyed.

"Eew!" Lucy shrieked, wiping her hand on Natsu furiously. "Natsu! You licked me!"

"That's what you get," he replied with a smug grin.

Lucy pouted and turned her attention back to the fire. "You're so immature."

Natsu stared at Lucy, glad that they ended up coming. The white roses went well with her golden hair. The light from the fire washed over her face, allowing him to drown in the rich brown color of her eyes. Best of all was her smile, small but content. It was a real smile, one that he had caused.

* * *

The festival went by in the blink of an eye. They spent the night eating and dancing around the fire until everyone finally dispersed. Some stayed behind for a little longer but Lucy figured she had to get a start on practicing her Star Dress.

So, the three of them began their trek through the woods towards Tulle once again. Just as Natsu had promised earlier that day, the walk wasn't long. They reached the outskirts of Tulle in three short hours, setting up camp for the night beside a small pond.

Lucy sighed as she crouched by the pond. She knew Aquarius didn't like being summoned from dirty water but she didn't have any other option. Handing Natsu her flower crown and lei, she plopped the key into the water before summoning the cranky spirit.

As always, Aquarius made quite the entrance by swirling water around her body and drenching Lucy in the process. With a cold scowl, she got in her owner's face.

"What did I tell you about summoning me from a pond?" she asked, her voice laced with irritation.

"I didn't have a choice, this was the only water we could find," Lucy replied with a sigh.

"Haven't you ever heard of water bottles? Brat."

Before the two could continue their one-sided argument, Loke appeared in his signature flash of light.

"Ignore Aquarius," Loke said as he smiled at Lucy. "She's just annoyed because she couldn't go on a date with Scorpio."

"Want me to drown you too, cat?" the other spirit shot back.

"How about we start training instead?"

Aquarius begrudgingly nodded, then turned to Lucy. "Don't mess up, brat."

The girl nodded. She remembered how hard it was to use Taurus' form, but now she was upping the level. Not only was this Star Dress harder to master since it was stronger, Lucy also used some of her magical power to summon Aquarius herself, limiting how many attempts she had.

Even though Loke admitted that putting the key over her heart didn't actually help channel her magic, Lucy still decided to do so since it helped with Taurus'. It helped her imagine their bond and why she was learning the spell in the first place.

Closing her eyes and releasing a deep breath, Lucy poured her magic into the key, feeling for Aquarius' magic. As expected, it took a bit more to finally get anything back, but eventually Aquarius' magic slowly started to leak into her.

It was excruciatingly difficult keeping her power at the same level. Again, she had to clamp onto her lower lip to keep from spilling over, drawing blood in the process.

Eventually, a bright light enveloped her body before Lucy felt a gust of wind against her bare back.

"You did it!" she heard Happy exclaim.

Opening her eyes, Lucy glanced down at herself and beamed. This Star Dress wasn't as flashy as Taurus'. She was in a bikini top that sported a green and yellow chevron design. Over her arms were frilled, green sleeves secured by a white ribbon. Instead of a bikini bottom, the outfit consisted of a green skirt.

Best of all, Aquarius' zodiac sign was displayed proudly over her collarbone.

"This is cute!" Lucy said, running her fingers over the zodiac sign. It was as if she had a tattoo. Then, she felt for her hair. Some of it was kept down while the rest were in two pigtails. "I like this form more than Taurus'!"

Aquarius scoffed, but wore a small grin. "Of course you do. Mine is the best."

"Can you teach me some spells?"

"With what little energy you have left? No way, brat. Go to sleep."

"Just one? Please?"

Aquarius stared at her owner. Lucy had her hands clasped together and her lower lip- which was still oozing with blood- puffed out as she pleaded. The spirit's resolve began to crack.

With a groan, Aquarius relented. "Fine. But just an easy one, got it? I don't have time to be playing around with you."

"Yay!" Lucy exclaimed. "What is it?"

"I'm going to teach you a defensive spell. You need a way to stay safe while your spirits are fighting. And since you're still just a human, there are some types of magic that you can't block on your own. This spell will create a water barrier around you."

"You think water can protect her from attacks?" Natsu asked skeptically.

Aquarius glared at the boy and shot back, "Protecting her from your weak flames will be a piece of cake for this spell."

"Is that a challenge?" Natsu asked, grinning mischievously.

"It's an invitation." Turning back to her owner, she continued, "Just imagine yourself in the barrier, add some magic, and it'll happen. It is my easiest spell."

Lucy nodded. Closing her eyes, she envisioned herself in a bubble just as Aquarius had instructed. Soon enough, she heard Natsu and Happy's cheers that she had done it. Opening her eyes, she found water encompassing her.

"Whoa! This is so cool!" she gushed. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through the water, surprised to find that it returned to its original shape after.

Aquarius faced Natsu, her arms crossed over her chest as she regarded him in distaste. "Go for it, boy. Hit her with one of your roars."

Sweat dotted Lucy's face. "Uhh, are you sure it's okay?"

"Positive."

Natsu cracked his knuckles, his lips stretching into a fanged grin. "Get ready, Lucy!" He put his hands around his mouth before delivering a fiery roar, careful not to hit any of the trees.

Lucy screwed her eyes closed. Though she knew Natsu probably used harmless flames, it was still creepy having an incoming attack flying straight at her. There was a hissing sound, prompting her to open her eyes again.

To her surprise, the water was holding up against Natsu's attack, creating large amounts of steam that rose into the air.

"Wow, Lucy! You're stronger than Natsu!" Happy teased, knowing it would get Natsu all riled up.

"Shut up," the boy muttered, crossing his arms. He then grinned, turning towards Lucy again. "That's awesome, Luce!"

"It doesn't just hold up well with fire," Aquarius stated. "Explosions, poison, you name it. But the stronger the attack, the more magic you have to pour into it."

Lucy nodded in understanding. "Thanks, Aquarius. You too, Loke."

The two spirits smiled at their owner. Aquarius left with her typical scoff and Loke left soon after, bidding the girl goodnight.

A loud yawn escaped Lucy's lips and she returned to her normal form, stretching her arms over her head. With the amount of magic she used, she needed to get some rest.

"I'm going to go to bed now," she said, climbing into her sleeping bag.

"We all should," Natsu added.

With that, the three situated themselves for bed before dozing off into slumber.

* * *

Lucy's eyes slowly fluttered open a few hours later. It was probably around three in the morning and yet at that moment, she felt well rested. Turning her head to face her partners, she found them still sleeping away, just as she probably should have been at that moment. Instead of laying back down and trying to catch a few extra winks of sleep, however, the blonde quietly crawled out of her sleeping bag and tiptoed away from their makeshift campsite.

From where her sleeping bag was placed, Lucy couldn't get a good enough look at the stars as there were too many trees in the way. So, she walked until she finally found a small clearing big enough to see the sky above. Stars twinkled in the sky, softly lighting up the world.

Lucy released a content sigh as she sat down, craning her head to stare at the sky once again. She always found comfort in doing so. She always imagined her parents were looking at the same stars as her and that they would be connected in that way. Now, it was more of a calming ritual.

"Whatcha doin', Luce?" a familiar voice suddenly asked from behind her. She didn't have to turn to see who it was, though she did jump from being startled.

"I'm just looking at the stars," she answered.

Natsu yawned before shrugging and making his way over to the girl. He plopped down beside her, gazing at the night sky as well.

"Sorry, did I wake you up earlier?" Lucy asked, finally turning to face him.

"Nah," Natsu lied. Of course she woke him up. His advanced hearing abilities made it impossible for him not to wake up. Not that it mattered, though. Stargazing wasn't so bad every once in a while, so long as he was with Lucy.

The two sat in a comfortable silence, letting the moonlight wash over their features. Lucy shivered, feeling a bit cold. Perhaps she should've brought her baby blanket with her. Remembering that her heater-like partner was sitting beside her, she snuggled up against his side, accepting the warmth his body had to offer.

Natsu glanced down at Lucy, a warm smile on his face. Everything felt right the way they were. Everything except for the voice in the back of his head condemning him for lying. He could've lived without that.

His guilt had been building up more and more as each day passed. It kept him awake some nights. It even made him feel nauseous. His lips tugged downwards into a frown and he gently pulled away from Lucy to look at her face.

The girl pulled away with an arched brow. Seeing the obvious stress on her partner's face, she frowned as well. "Natsu? What's wrong?"

Natsu stared into her brown, curious eyes. They were filled with concern for him. Concern that he didn't deserve.

"Lucy, I love you," he said, his voice hardly above a whisper. His voice was laced with desperation and fear.

Lucy's cheeks tinted pink and her eyes widened slightly. "I love you too, Natsu. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Oh. Well okay then, I guess."

"…Hey, Lucy?"

"Yeah?"

Natsu frowned as he balled his hands into tight fists. "Promise me, no matter what happens, you'll never leave us."

Lucy's eyes widened and she frowned as well. What was going on with him? "Natsu, what's-"

"Please, just promise."

The girl closed her mouth, staring at him in concern. Why was he so afraid of her leaving them one day? " _Maybe it's because Igneel left him. He's scared I'll do the same thing one day."_

With a gentle smile, Lucy cupped Natsu's cheek and turned his head so they could face each other. With complete sincerity, she assured, "I promise I'll never leave you or Happy. I love both of you far too much to ever leave you."

"But…" Natsu said with uncertainty.

"No buts. I'm with you two forever. You idiots are stuck with me. Got it?"

Natsu stared into her eyes. They were so full of life and determination, he almost believed her.

 _Almost._

Lucy frowned slightly as she could see the doubt still lingering in Natsu's features. Cupping his cheeks, she did the only thing she could think of to assure him of her promise. Pressing her lips against his, she poured all of her feelings into a kiss, hoping he would get the message. At first, he was stiff as a board, but eventually he relaxed into it.

Their lips washed over each other like waves with a constant rhythm. Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck and brought him closer to her. However, sitting side by side with their heads turned towards each other wasn't the most comfortable position. So, she moved.

Lucy positioned herself onto Natsu's lap, wrapping her legs around his torso and straddling him, making sure their lips never disconnected in the process. Natsu placed his hands onto her hips, loving the feeling of her curves.

Lucy pulled away from the kiss, her eyelids heavy, and rested her forehead against his.

"I promise I'll never leave you," she whispered, pressing her lips against his once again.

Natsu nodded gratefully, cupping the back of her head and deepening the kiss. Their tongues moved against each other in harmony. Fires were lit within the two of them and there was only one way to put them out.

As the ache between Lucy's legs began to build, she grinded against him with every kiss. Natsu, inspired by the girl's boldness, pulled her harder against him with his hands on her hips. The friction was incredible, but both wanted to go further.

Rational thoughts were leaving their minds as all they wanted to do was indulge in the other's skin and drown in their kisses. Lucy moved her lips from Natsu's and pressed them against his neck instead, sucking on the skin. As she did so, her hands removed his vest, allowing her to feel his abs with ease.

Natsu moved as well, throwing off the girl's shirt and admiring the view. He hadn't seen her shirtless since the one time they were in Crocus, so he made sure to drink in the sight. Both from the cold air and from their sultry touches, Lucy's nipples were hard, enticing him.

Lifting one of her mounds, he left butterfly kisses on the sensitive skin around her nipple while he fondled her other breast with his hand, running his thumb in circles over her hardened peak. Lucy released a breathy moan and grinded harder against him, her breaths shaky.

Everything felt amazing, but both wanted more.

Lucy pulled away from Natsu slightly, her body literally shaking from the pleasure she was just receiving. Her eyes moved to his pants and her fingers grazed the hem. She rushed in last time. This time, she wanted both to be sure.

"Can I?" she asked, her cheeks pink as she gazed into his eyes. Upon receiving a brisk nod from Natsu, she moved off of his lap, allowing him to take off his sweats. Lucy shimmied out of her own pants as well, leaving her in a pink, lacy thong.

Natsu immediately crashed his lips against Lucy's, slowly pushing her onto her back. He laid on top of her, his legs in between hers while she straddled him to bring his cock, which was freed from his boxers, against her.

He moved his mouth to her breast again, sucking at the sensitive peak and driving Lucy mad. She continued to moan and roll her hips against him, glad that there were less layers between them. With the thin fabric of her thong, she could practically feel the velvety skin as his warm shaft rubbed against her, slightly relieving the ache that had been building up.

Natsu, too, was in pure bliss. Hearing every exotic moan that escape Lucy's mouth signaled that he was doing great, along with every grind. Adding to the sensation, he could easily feel that her panties were soaked with her juices, making everything feel much better. His cock continued to throb against her, and he could feel himself nearing his release. But first, he wanted to pleasure Lucy.

Lucy arched her back and tightened her hold of Natsu with her legs, pushing his shaft harder against her. Pleasure continued to build up in the pit of her stomach, causing her toes to curl. Still, she wanted more.

Gently pushing Natsu's head away from her breast, she met his gaze. Their eyes were heavy and pooled with lust.

Natsu immediately knew what the girl wanted.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a breathy whisper.

Lucy nodded. "I'm sure. I want to be closer. I want this more than anything right now."

Natsu felt a wave of happiness course through him and he planted his lips against hers. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, they took the next step forward.

Natsu's hand reached down between them and felt for Lucy's panties. With excited fingers, he moved the fabric out of the way before pressing his cock between her wet folds. She was so warm against him, as if she was the fire mage.

Natsu started by first grinding against her bare flesh. Lucy released a loud moan from the action and dug her fingernails into his back.

"Do it," she whispered into his ear, her warm breath sending a shiver through his body.

Natsu nodded, slowly pushing himself through her folds and into her entrance. Immediately, her nails pierced his skin and he could feel blood trickling out of him from it. A quiet whimper escaped Lucy and he immediately stopped, pulling away to face her.

Concern laced his voice as he asked, "Are you okay? Should I stop?"

Lucy shook her head. Tears brimmed her eyes but she insisted, "Keep going. It's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Keep going."

Natsu hesitantly nodded, pressing his lips against hers. Then, he sunk himself deeper into her, moving slowly in an attempt to reduce the pain. He could feel Lucy frown against his lips and she even whimpered in pain a few times. Part of him wanted to stop. He couldn't bear being the one that put Lucy through pain. But seeing as how she asked him to keep going, he pushed forward, moving another inch deeper into her.

It was contradictive. While the pleasure was like nothing he had ever felt before, he still felt bad for hurting Lucy.

Meanwhile, Lucy screwed her eyes shut tightly as Natsu's shaft journeyed deeper inside of her. While a few pesky tears slid down her cheeks, the pain wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. As he continued further inside of her, her body began to get used to the feeling.

Soon enough, he was as deep as he could go.

Natsu knew that Lucy just had to get used to it. So, he pulled out before slowly entering once again. This time, Lucy didn't whimper at all, only releasing a shaky breath. She was already getting used to it.

With a few more thrusts, picking up in pace, the pain soon turned to pleasure for Lucy. While she wasn't going to move into any position that allowed for more of his shaft to go deeper within her, she was now able to relax and enjoy Natsu's movements as he moved at a gentle pace.

Her outer edges clung to his shaft each time he moved to withdraw and each time he thrust into her, it was like she was having an out-of-body experience. Natsu moved his lips back onto her breasts, dragging his tongue over her hardened peaks.

Everything felt warm and tingly and the feeling only continued to grow. Lucy panted as Natsu continued to pound into her, causing her breasts to bounce. She moaned loudly as he hit a sensitive spot, causing her eyes to roll back in her head.

So this was what she was missing out on the past twenty years? This kind of pleasure existed in the world?

As Natsu repeatedly sucked on her nipples while thrusting into her, Lucy felt herself reaching release.

"N-Natsu," she breathed out, followed by another moan. "I-I can't go m-much longer…"

Natsu responded by picking up the pace, pushing deep within her as fast as he could. He then moved in circles within her, making sure to stretch out her walls and get every spot he could.

Lucy began to shake and her hands grabbed onto loose dirt as the tingling sensation grew. Suddenly, a wave of pleasure coursed through her, causing her body to spasm. Her toes curled and she called out Natsu's name as he continued to pound inside of her even after climax. Even with her eyes closed, she was still seeing stars.

"Fuck," Natsu breathed out as Lucy screamed his name. With that, his legs buckled and he released all of his pleasure, his body crumbling on top of her. He could feel himself pump three times within Lucy before he finally stopped and pulled out, a trail of sticky white substance following him.

He collapsed beside Lucy, both of them panting. That was something neither had experienced before but already were excited to try again once their bodies were ready.

"That was amazing," Lucy breathed out, her eyes on the stars above.

"It was," Natsu agreed. Turning his head, he smiled at Lucy before placing a kiss on her cheek.

Lucy smiled at him, moonlight washing over her features. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too."

"Hey, Natsu?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Natsu grinned, pulling the girl closer to him so that her head rested on his chest and his arm was wrapped around her. Together they gazed at the stars, their hearts feeling connected. Their cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but they didn't care. They were happy in that moment, nothing could change that.

"I love you too, Lucy."

* * *

 **AN:** What do you think? You might think I'm having them move way too fast, and who knows, maybe I am. But I have this headcanon that even though it takes super long for them to realize their feelings and admit them to each other, they move super fast in their relationship. So I try to put that in like every story I have lol.

And there is a reason that I needed to add the smut in this chapter. You'll find out why later lol.

Thank you so much to those that reviewed: **Guest, JustAnotherFan14, ThayetJade, MasterGildarts, Lunahartz, Kirinah, Juvia is my spirit animal, Alexa60765, DaddyDragneel, Nalulove, edelweiss03, Soul Eater Maka.**


	73. Chapter 73

**AN:** Hello! How is everyone's day going? Ready to meet Belle? :D

* * *

Chapter 73

Belle

Natsu's eyes blinked open that morning and he was immediately met with Lucy's sleeping face, causing the corners of his lips to tug upwards into a crooked grin. She had a dopy smile on her face and looked so at peace. It was too bad he would have to wake her up soon.

Natsu's cheeks filled with warmth as memories of last night resurfaced in his mind. He and Lucy had went all the way. He wasn't expecting to take that step so soon, but he didn't regret it in the slightest. Life with Lucy was unpredictable, he had learned that the day he met her. It only made sense that their relationship was as sporadic as they were.

Now having taken that step, Natsu felt closer to Lucy than he ever had. They still had plenty of exploring to do with their relationship- both physically and mentally- and he was more than excited for it. But that would have to wait.

Since they spent last night going to the festival and having Lucy train, they really had to get a move on to Tulle. Thus, with mild reluctance, Natsu gently brushed Lucy's golden locks behind her ear, causing her to mumble in her sleep. He chuckled, poking her cheek.

Lucy pouted, not happy with being woken up. A soft groan slipped past her lips and she tried to go back to sleep, but the moment that warm lips pressed against her forehead, her eyes begrudgingly fluttered open, her cheeks painted red.

"Morning, weirdo," Natsu said, giving her a fanged grin.

The girl pouted. "It's too early."

"Yeah, well, we have to start the next story."

"Can't we sleep for a couple more hours?"

"No. C'mon, Lucy. This is our last story, then we have all the time in the world to sleep."

Lucy sighed, knowing he was right. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and released a heavy yawn before gently prodding Happy awake. Once everyone was awake, they quickly packed their things.

Lucy winced occasionally as she walked, the pain from last night resurfacing. Every time she thought about what occurred the night before, her body would flush with heat and a tingling sensation would erupt in the pit of her stomach and between her legs. Though it slightly hurt to walk at the moment, the blonde was looking forward to her next session with her boyfriend.

Since they were already on the outskirts of Tulle, they were in the town in no time. Tulle was very similar to Marza Valley in the sense that it was quaint and unadvanced. There weren't any paved roads at all, only fields of grass and small cottages built in no organized structure. There were no streets, either. It was practically land with buildings haphazardly dumped onto it.

One thing did manage to stand out in Tulle, however, and that was the giant clocktower in the center of town. Next to the tower stood a large building, the biggest in town. According to Rogue, the town was only known for its prestigious library. If something like that was known nationwide, then surely the biggest building in town had to be the library.

The three glanced at each other before making their way towards the building. Lucy studied the clocktower, finding it quite aesthetically pleasing. Natsu pulled the door to the library and held it open for her and Happy to enter.

Shelves upon shelves were lined up in the building, proving that it was in fact a library. Venturing deeper inside, Lucy noted that there wasn't a single speck of dust she could find. Usually, some sections of a library were dryer content-wise than others, and the books were hardly touched. Here, however, it seemed like every book had been read recently. That, or the staff here really did their job well.

Moving past how clean the place was, Lucy allowed herself to indulge in all of the books. Hearts practically filled her eyes as they skimmed all of the thick, leather-back books, their titles calling out to her. If only she could just sit down and read through them all. Perhaps they could stay in Tulle for a couple of days after the story.

Happy chuckled. "It looks like Lucy's in heaven."

"Because I am," the girl said with a content sigh, clasping her hands together. "Even my bookstore back home didn't have this much selection! I wonder what books are like in Earthland."

"They're probably the same as Earth's."

"Or they could be even better. I wonder what the most popular book is here."

"That would be Daybreak by Kemu Zaelon," a sudden voice answered. The voice was light and a bit higher than theirs. Turning around, the trio found a petite girl smiling at them, in her hands a stack of books they were surprised she could carry with how heavy they looked. Her hair was a bright shade of blue and was styled in messy waves, held up by an orange bandana to match her knee-length orange dress. Her eyes were similar to Lucy's: big, brown, and bright. "Did you guys need help finding anything?"

Lucy and the others shared a quick glance before focusing their attention on the small girl in front of them again. Could this be the one they were looking for?

"Hi there," Lucy greeted with a friendly smile. "By chance, are you the librarian here?"

The girl's smile grew as she gave a curt nod. "Yep! My name is Levy McGarden!" A small frown graced her face as her arms began to shake. The books were starting to get heavy. "Jet! Droy!"

In a matter of seconds, two boys appeared seemingly out of nowhere, wide grins plastered to their faces. One was tall and lanky with orange hair and a large, witch-like hat. The other was heavyset, his hair black and curving over his head, resembling a sprouting stem.

"Did you need something, Levy!?" both asked, excitement lacing their words. Then, both glared at each other.

"I asked first!" the taller boy shouted.

"No you didn't! I did! I'm going to help Levy!" the other argued.

"No, I am!"

"Just go away, Jet!"

"No, you go away, Droy!"

Lucy sighed and shook her head at the boys' antics. As the two continued to argue, she, Natsu, and Happy took it upon themselves to take the books from Levy's hands and set them on top of the bookshelves.

"Thanks," Levy said, sighing in relief. With a pout, she turned to Jet and Droy. With obvious sarcasm, she continued, "Thanks for the help, guys."

They hung their heads in shame. "Sorry, Levy."

"It's okay. But you two should stop arguing so much! I'm going to deal with the customers, do you think you could reshelf those books for me?"

The two boys grinned having been given a task from the girl. With frantic nods, they grabbed the books and went on their way to return them to their rightful places.

"Sorry about that," Levy said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They can be very competitive sometimes."

Lucy giggled, waving her off. "Don't worry about it."

"So, what are you three looking for today? Anything in particular?"

Natsu stepped forward and started, "I guess you could say that. We're looking for a g-!"

"A good book!" Lucy interrupted hastily. Natsu and Happy arched their brows at her, but she only ignored them and focused on Levy. "There are so many to choose from, though. Say, would you happen to be able to recommend any?"

At that, the other girl's eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together. "Of course! I've read almost all of the books here!"

Lucy and the others' eyes widened fractionally. This must have been Belle. There was no doubt about it now.

"Oh really?" Lucy asked. "You must have been working here for a long time then."

"Not really," Levy replied, shaking her head. The trio frowned, scared that their assumption was wrong before Levy explained, "I only started working here almost a year ago after the old librarian retired. But I've been coming here every day since I was a little girl, I practically live here."

"Would you say that your love for books is unmatched?" Happy asked.

"Hmm, I guess so. That's what I've been told, at least. Why?"

"He was just making sure you can actually help us with a recommendation," Lucy said.

Levy grinned. "Oh! In that case, let me show you around!"

The trio followed the petite girl through the narrow aisles as she picked out book upon book, all varying in genre. Though Lucy knew that she wouldn't have time to read any of them, she made sure to listen to uphold their cover. Plus, once they finished the story, she now had a lot of books to read afterwards.

Once Levy retrieved ten books for the group, she lined them up on a table and told them to choose three of them since they could only checkout one book per person. Knowing that she wouldn't read it regardless, she broke her rule of not judging a book by its cover this one time and chose the pink book with the title scribed in gold ink. Natsu and Happy merely picked up books closest to them.

"Good choices, everyone!" Levy exclaimed. "Now, let's get you checked out!"

"Huh? I was hoping to browse some more," Lucy complained. Though in truth, she really just wanted to talk to Levy more to discreetly pry more information out of her.

"Sorry, the library closes at three in the afternoon now."

"What? Why so early?"

Levy frowned and bit her lower lip. In a quieter voice, she questioned, "You must not be from Tulle. Well, I knew that the moment I met you considering how small the town is. Everyone here knows each other. Anyways, everyone is ordered to stay indoors at four o'clock."

"What kinda rule is that?" Natsu asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's a new rule. Our town… It's being ravaged by a monster. A _beast."_

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy shared a collective glance. Just as they thought, they truly did find the right person.

"Tulle is a private town," Levy explained. "I doubt outsiders know about our situation. That's why nobody has come to help. People have tried to leave the village to go get help, but the beast always comes and stops them."

"Have you seen this beast?" Lucy asked.

"No. I've only heard about it. Apparently, it's very vicious."

"Has it killed anyone?" Happy asked.

"I don't believe so. Still, it injures people and steals from them. Anyways, I'm sorry, but you really should get going. I don't want you guys to get attacked."

"Thank you for your concern," Lucy replied. With that, they checked out their books and bid farewell for the day before looking for the nearest motel. There was only one in the village and it was incredibly small. Still, it would have to do. At least it was cheap.

Once the trio entered their cramped room, Natsu crossed his arms and faced Lucy.

"Why didn't you tell her about the storybook?" he asked.

"Aye, we always tell the people we help," Happy added.

Lucy frowned. "Because I came up with an idea on the spot and in order for it to work, we can't let Levy-chan know about the storybook. It's risky… But it was the only thing I could think of."

"What's your plan?"

"I think we should let Levy-chan get taken."

Happy and Natsu's eyes widened and their jaws slacked.

"Wait, what?" the latter asked in shock. "Lucy, you can't be serious."

"I know it sounds wrong, but I think it could work," the girl replied.

"You actually want to let this girl get taken without doing anything?"

"It's not that I _want_ to. It's just that it's the only thing I could think of working."

"Why?"

"Levy-chan is supposed to fall in love with the beast, right? He isn't her enemy, he wouldn't hurt her," Lucy explained.

"That's a serious gamble, Lucy," Natsu replied, not comfortable with this plan. This was the last story of the book, he didn't want to fail now.

"I know, I know. But hear me out. The only way Levy-chan can fall in love with the beast is if she's taken. If she isn't, they won't get the chance to meet. And if we show her the book, she'll just steer clear from the library. At the moment, Levy-chan only views him as the villain destroying the village. She isn't supposed to fall in love with him until after they meet because they start to get comfortable with each other. If we stop them from having those moments, they'll never get their happy ending."

"But what if he does hurt her?" Happy asked.

"He won't. The ending of the story as of right now is that Gaston kills the beast and takes Levy-chan. That is what happens if we don't fix it. Our enemy is Gaston, not the beast."

"Are you sure we should do this, Lucy?" Natsu asked. If this was what she thought should be done, then he would follow along. But he wanted her to be sure.

The girl heaved a sigh and nodded hesitantly. "I'm no happier with this than you are, believe me. If there was another way, I would try it. But right now, this is our only option."

"So, what do we do now?" Happy asked.

"Right now, we play the waiting game."

* * *

Levy walked briskly through the aisles, her destination in mind. She passed the romance, horror, and even fantasy section- which was her favorite- and went towards the back of the building. In the corner was a bookshelf filled with history books of Fiore.

The books in the history section were the thickest and oldest in the library. Levy trailed her fingers over the leather-back spines of the lined up books, reading each title in search of the right book. It was extremely rare, as there was only one copy in all of Fiore since King Heartfilia ordered all copies to be destroyed. The only reason she had one was because her predecessor managed to hide one from the King's eyes.

Finally, her eyes landed on the book she had been looking for. Pulling it from the shelf, she moved to a nearby table, opening the book and scanning its contents. Thanks to her Gale-Force reading glasses, it took mere seconds to find what she was looking for.

Her brown eyes widened and a soft gasp escaped her lips as she stared at the picture in front of her. It was a picture of both the King and the late Queen, who just so happened to be a mirror image of the girl she had just met today, who had yet to introduce herself. Though, it wasn't like she needed to.

" _There's no doubt about it,"_ Levy thought, still reeling over the new information. " _That girl from earlier… She's the Lost Princess, Lucy Heartfilia. But what is she doing here?"_

Scanning through the entire text of the history book, Levy absorbed all of the information in the speed of light. With that, she knew all that she needed.

The reason Jude Heartfilia issued the destruction of that particular history book is because it went into detail about what happened to his daughter. It talked all about how Lucy was taken by the former leader of the Royal Guards, Jose, and about how she was teleported into another world. It even talked briefly about the curse he enacted. Not wanting to ever be reminded of the tragedies in his life, he ordered the books be destroyed.

" _So the Lost Princess is back?"_ Levy wondered, her mouth parted. " _What does all of this mean? And what are they really here for?"_

So many questions plagued Levy's mind, but there was one thing she knew for certain.

She had to find out more about the peculiar blonde.

* * *

 **AN:** So Levy knows about Lucy's identity! :D We won't be meeting the beast the next chapter, I believe it'll the be the one after that but I'm not entirely sure yet. Stick around! :D

Thank you to the people that reviewed: **MasterGildarts, ThayetJade, Shadow Joestar, Guest, chocolatecatsconfusion(x4), Dragneel562, Guest, Kirinah, Juvia is my spirit animal, DaddyDragneel, Alexa60765, Lunahartz, o0vicarious-living0o, Guest, Nalulove, Guest, Guest.** had a lot of guest reviewers this time haha! :)


	74. Chapter 74

**AN:** Hi guys! Feel like it's been a while since I updated. Hope everyone is doing well! :)

* * *

Chapter 74

Budding Friendship

"W-Wait, what?"

"Are you serious?"

"How do you know this?"

Levy sighed as she sat at one of the tables in the library, Jet and Droy sitting on the other side while endless questions poured out of them. It wasn't like she could blame them. She did drop a rather large bomb on them. And that was the fact that the blonde girl that came in yesterday was Lucy Heartfilia, the Lost Princess.

 _Levy was shocked to say the least when her eyes first landed on the girl. She only saw a quick glimpse of her face when she entered the building, but she could still tell who it was. Only the Heartfilias had hair so golden and eyes so brown it made one feel as though they were swimming in pools of chocolate._

 _"No way," she had thought, her jaw dropping on its hinges. Surely, she must be seeing things, right? The Princess had been missing for over twenty years, there was no way she just appeared in her library after all that time._

 _Needing to investigate, Levy followed the trio as they browsed the selections. That was when she heard the other girl talking about books, wondering which one was the most popular. Knowing that it was a way to be able to talk to her, Levy answered her question, joining their conversation with ease._

 _And sure enough, seeing the blonde's face close up reminded Levy of the pictures she had seen many times in countless of history books. All of them being of the late Queen._

 _After the three left, Levy needed to make sure she was certain of her assumptions and grabbed the one book she knew would be able to help her. Sure enough, finding a picture of Layla Heartfilia confirmed everything._

 _The Lost Princess had returned._

"She is the spitting image of her mom," Levy finally explained to her closest friends. "With all the history books I've read, I have a very clear image of what the late Queen looks like."

"But didn't that one book say that the Princess was teleported into another world?" Droy asked while stuffing his face with food.

"Yes. But clearly, she's back."

"What is she doing here of all places?" Jet asked. Tulle, despite having one of the best libraries in all of Fiore, was not a tourist hotspot. Hell, most people didn't even know the village existed. What was the Lost Princess doing in their quaint town rather than returning to the castle?

"I don't think she knows who she really is," Levy answered, cupping her chin in thought. "Think about it. The Princess was teleported at birth, right? That means that she has no recollection of her parents. Unless someone told her about her identity, she wouldn't know about it at all."

"Well maybe someone told her," Droy countered.

"That is a possibility, but I don't think that's the case. If she knew about who she was, she would be at the castle, meeting her father. Not visiting a library far from home."

"What do you want to do about this, Levy?" Jet asked.

"I want to find out more," the girl answered. "The Princess was supposed to be the one to break the curse. We have to make sure that happens. Maybe we should tell her about who she is."

* * *

"So, what's the plan for today, Lucy?" Happy asked.

The three were seated at a booth at a small diner, eating a large breakfast. Levy wasn't kidding, people here were strict about the curfew. They couldn't even leave their room last night to get food and were forced to deal with their growling stomachs throughout the night.

Lucy heaved a sigh and shook her head. "I'm not sure. I don't feel right just letting some innocent girl get taken, but I don't know what else to do."

"Your plans haven't let us down yet, I'm sure this one will work out too," Natsu replied, giving the girl a grin in hopes of cheering her up.

Unfortunately, it didn't help. "I know, but this one doesn't sit well with me. It's not right morally."

"Should we just tell her about the storybook?" Happy offered.

Lucy shook her head. "We can't risk Levy-chan not wanting to meet the beast. I think this is the best course of action. Besides, they'll fall in love anyways, maybe this is a good thing."

"Exactly," Natsu replied. "It's best not to get so hung up over it. If this is what you think is the best thing to do to help, then we'll do it. So for now, let's just eat while we still can."

Lucy smiled and nodded, glad that she had such great friends around to trust her and cheer her up.

Soon, their food was delivered to their table. They picked up their utensils, about to dig in when sudden shouting caught their attention. It was coming from the kitchen of the diner they were in.

It was a man, presumably the owner of the restaurant as he shouted, "What the hell!? Why is more than half of our inventory gone!? Who the hell took it!?"

All of the other employees rushed to the kitchen to see what was going on and to quiet their boss down, though their efforts were meaningless. The owner stormed out of the kitchen and towards the door in an attempt to find whoever stole from his store.

"It had to have been the beast!" he shouted, his face red with anger.

One of the waitresses came up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's why you should stay put, sir. None of the people that went to kill the beast have returned, you need to stay calm!"

Lucy and the others shared a quick, tense look. So, the beast made an appearance last night? It seemed all he took was food, which truthfully wouldn't be too bad considering that's what Natsu and Happy used to do to survive. However, the beast took _half_ of the food from the restaurant. Surely he didn't need that much.

" _He's spiteful,"_ Lucy thought with a frown. " _He's stealing when he doesn't have a need to. At least Natsu and Happy only stole to survive."_

But the beast's pettiness wasn't the worst part.

Apparently, none of the people that went after him came back. That could only mean one thing…

Lucy swallowed thickly.

" _He killed them all…"_

It was no wonder now why the curfew was so strict. Best case scenario, people were missing thanks to the beast terrorizing the town. Worst case scenario- the one that seemed most likely- they were all dead. Staying inside at four didn't sound so bad anymore.

"We have to stop him," Lucy said, her brows furrowed. In her world, the beast didn't kill anyone. Sure, he was a total ass at times, but never a murderer. Was murder something she could forgive?

Out of all the people she had helped so far, Loke was the only one that had killed someone, though that didn't count since it wasn't his fault. And while Ultear tried to kill Gray and Lyon, it didn't work, and she had changed her ways.

Lucy could understand if they were coming to kill him for something ignorant like the version in her world. That would count as simple self-defense. But the villagers were coming after him because he was stealing so much from them simply because he wanted to. How could she justify that?

Shaking her head, she forced those thoughts to the back of her mind. It didn't matter. To finish the story, the beast needed to be alive. And she was going to make sure that happened.

* * *

Once they finished eating, the trio briskly made their way to the library. They only had a few hours before they had to return to the motel. Entering the library, the three sat at one of the tables, Happy pulling out the storybook.

"So, what are we doing here?" Happy questioned. "If our plan is to let her get taken, what's the point in coming?"

Lucy shrugged and answered, "I would like to get to know who we're helping at least a little bit. Besides, we have to return the books we borrowed yesterday." They never did read the books, not even cracking one open. They simply got them to uphold their cover. Her eyes sparkled as she glanced around, practically drooling over all the books.

Natsu chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You just want to read, don't you?"

"Is it obvious?" The two nodded, prompting her to continue. "Look, this could be beneficial to you, too. After we break the curse, we are going to look for Igneel, right? Why don't you guys do a bit of research on Fiore. I'm sure there are better maps we can use, too."

Natsu's eyes widened a fraction before he turned his gaze away and frowned. " _Lucy really wants to help me find Igneel and yet here I am, keeping her away from her own dad."_ His hands formed tight fists and his body shook. " _I'm a terrible boyfriend."_

Lucy frowned in concern. Something was really tearing away at Natsu recently, but she chose not to question it. If he wanted to talk to her about it, she would listen. Until then, she would wait patiently for him to open up.

"So, while you two look for that, I'm going to go return our books. Make sure to be quiet, this is a library. And Natsu, don't destroy anything," she said, glaring at her two friends.

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu replied, waving off her concerns.

Lucy sighed, hoping that she wasn't going to regret leaving them alone for a few minutes. Grabbing their books, she headed towards the front of the library to return them.

As she approached the counter, she saw a familiar, petite girl leaning against the counter, her nose in a book.

"Hi, Levy-chan," Lucy greeted with a kind smile as she reached the counter and laying the books on it.

Levy jumped in shock from the sudden voice and shut the book in the blink of an eye. When she saw Lucy, her eyes widened and her jaw slacked before she recovered, smiling at her. "Hi again! Oh, I see you brought the books back! Did you like them?"

"Sorry, we never ended up reading them, actually. We took them back to our motel before we realized that they weren't what we were looking for."

"That's alright! We'll just find you something else! What genre is your favorite?"

Lucy put a finger to her chin in thought. She hadn't had the chance to read lately- other than the storybook that she was truthfully getting tired of. Back in Seattle, the majority of the books she read were adventure novels, which made sense since an adventure was what she always dreamed of. It was weird to think that just months ago, she was living isolated in her apartment and now she was traveling through Fiore, seemingly in a never-ending fairy tale.

"I like adventure stories," Lucy finally answered with a smile.

"Me too!" Levy replied, grinning widely. "Oh! I'll get you my favorite adventure book!" She grabbed the taller girl's wrist and dragged her through the cramped aisles. Seeing as how she read the book countless of times, she knew exactly where it was kept and found it in seconds. There were three copies of the book on the shelf.

Levy picked up two copies of the story, handing one of them to Lucy. "Here you go, Lu-chan!"

The blonde quirked a brow in amusement over the new name before she gave a puzzled expression.

"Did I introduce myself yesterday?" she asked. She couldn't recall giving the other girl her name the other day, but she could have been mistaken.

"U-Uhh, yeah! How else would I know your name, silly?" Levy fibbed. Guilt ebbed at her for lying. Lucy seemed like a nice girl, but she was still testing the waters to figure out what to do. "Anyways, I think you'll love this book! Why don't we read it together?"

"You want to read with me?"

"Of course! I love this story so much, I could read it over and over again! Besides, it's not like this place is that busy. C'mon!"

Lucy was surprised by how comfortable the other girl was. Levy grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards the closest table. Opening their books, they both began to read with content smiles on their faces. Neither of the two were used to being around someone that could read at their speed, but it became obvious both enjoyed reading very much.

* * *

A few hours passed and the two finished the story, Levy being just a bit quicker than Lucy. The two girls had tears brimming their eyes and could barely contain their sniffles due to the ending in which the main character sacrificed himself to save his best friend.

"You should have told me it was a tragedy, Levy-chan!" Lucy whined, wiping away the pesky tears that slid down her cheeks.

The blue-headed girl shook her head. "That would've spoiled everything! You loved the story even though it was sad though, right?"

"I did! Thank you for showing it to me!"

"Don't mention it!" Levy glanced towards a nearby clock and frowned. "Only an hour until curfew. Sorry, Lu-chan, but we'll be closing the library now. Which reminds me… Jet! Droy!"

The two boys appeared with eager grins on their faces and hearts in their eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were fighting for Levy's adoration. Lucy bit back a sigh. She didn't think that she could handle people fighting over her all the time. Surprisingly, Levy was able to deal with it just fine, treating them as friends while not acknowledging their feelings. It wasn't that she was leading them on or anything, she just wasn't into them and wasn't going to pretend to be. Besides, no matter how many times she tried to make her feelings clear, the two boys never got the hint.

"You called, Levy?" Jet asked.

Droy shot the other boy a glare before turning a sweet gaze back to the girl, adding, "Did you need something?"

Levy nodded. "We need to get some more food. How about you two go get some while I close down the library?"

"Okay!"

"But make it quick," Levy ordered with a concerned frown. "Curfew is in an hour. Just get something easy for the night and we'll do some more grocery shopping tomorrow."

The two boys grinned at their friend, their hearts warming at her concern. Though it was clear that she didn't reciprocate their feelings- they weren't giving up yet, however- they were glad that she still cared enough about them to be their friend.

"We're mages, Levy!" Jet said. "The beast can't do anything to us!"

Droy nodded in agreement. "Yeah! We'll be just fine!"

Doubts still lingered in Levy's mind. "Still, just make it quick, okay?"

The two nodded before turning and rushing out of the library. Lucy took that as her cue to get ready to leave as well, standing up from the desk. Levy told her to leave the book on the desk so that she could reshelf it later.

"I can't believe we spent hours reading!" Lucy exclaimed as she walked beside Levy, trying to find her partners.

"Next time we can use Gale-Force glasses," Levy suggested.

"Huh?"

Levy shot the other girl a glance. The fact that she didn't know what they were only proved that she wasn't from here. She really was the Lost Princess. "They help you read really fast. We could have finished that book in less than half an hour if we had them on. I usually like to read nonfiction without them, but I like taking my time with the really good stories."

"That sounds really convenient! I could really use those since we're always traveling!"

"You are? Why?"

"Well… We're looking for Natsu's father. He vanished one day so we're trying to find him." It wasn't a total lie. They were going to do that, it's just that they were really working on the storybook right now, which she couldn't tell the other girl.

"Oh?" Levy quirked a brow. " _So she isn't heading towards the castle then. She really must not know who she is. I wonder if the two traveling with her know who she is."_

Once Lucy regrouped with her friends, the three were bidding farewell and promising to come back tomorrow before heading out the door. Levy waved after them, then began the closing routine. The work wasn't hard since not too many customers came in. There were only a few books needing to be restocked and the tables could use a quick wipe-down.

It took nearly forty minutes to finish restocking, cleaning, and going through the bookshelves to make sure nothing was out of place. Now free to do as she pleased, she plucked a book off a shelf, about to read it when her mind drifted towards other things.

" _Lucy sure is a nice girl. I shouldn't keep her in the dark anymore."_ With determination gleaming in her eyes, she thought, " _I'm going to tell her who she is tomorrow."_ With that, the girl was going to turn her attention towards the book when she realized how late it was. Glancing towards the clock, her brown eyes widened seeing that there were only fifteen minutes left until curfew.

Dread filled her body as she realized Jet and Droy weren't back yet. Surely they would be back soon, right? Fifteen minutes was plenty of time.

" _I need to calm down._ _They're fine. They'll be back soon."_

Yet they never did return that night.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the chapter! I hope to get the next chapter out soon! :D Also, we may or not be finding out who the beast is next chapter. ;D Though I'm sure all of you already know who it is, I'm excited he'll finally be making an appearance!

 **Lunahartz:** I've actually never even heard of that show haha! :)

Thank you to those that reviewed: **Shadow Joestar, Kirinah, Juvia is my spirit animal, Soul Eater Maka, DaddyDragneel, chocolatecatsconfusion, ShadowSpartan8762, ThayetJade, MasterGildarts, Lunahartz, Crazymagic16, Nalulove, Alexa60765.**


	75. Chapter 75

**AN:** Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a while. I wanted to update Wednesday, but got called into work. And as a broke college student, I take any chance I get to make some money lol. That being said, I know that updates are slow as hell now but I'm super busy so tbh just gonna have to deal with it, sorry. Believe me, all I want is to just sit and write but I can't. :') Without further ado, here's the newest chapter!

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Chapter 75

The Beast

Lucy's eyes fluttered open and she was immediately faced with a sleeping Natsu. His mouth was parted and drool was dripping down his face and soaking his pillow. While she made a quick face of disgust, it quickly turned to endearment once the boy smiled in his sleep.

" _He is so cute,"_ Lucy thought with a smile. " _How did I get so lucky?"_

Bringing a hand to Natsu's face, Lucy gently dragged a finger over his cheek towards his lips. He twitched at the sudden touch before his eyes cracked open. When he registered what was happening, he gave a sloppy grin.

"Morning, Luce," he greeted, his voice still raspy after having just woken up.

"Good morning," she replied, twirling some of his hair around her finger. His pink locks were surprisingly soft.

Knowing Happy, who was sleeping on the other side of Natsu, was a heavy sleeper, Lucy leaned forward and pressed her lips against Natsu's in a quick peck. They hadn't had any alone time since they took the next step in their relationship and were hoping to change that soon. Unfortunately, they wouldn't be able to do so until they finished the storybook.

Lucy's cheeks warmed as she took in all of Natsu's features.

"You're pretty cute, you know that?" she said, giving him a smile.

Natsu joked, "I've been told. I could say the same about you though, weirdo."

"Still calling me that, huh?"

"Always." Natsu turned his head slightly to glance at Happy behind him. In a low voice, he questioned, "Think we can get away with taking a quick shower together?"

Lucy's eyes gleamed and she teased with a smirk, "What? Is there a reason you can't shower on your own?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't act like you aren't thinking about it just as much as I am. You know how many times I caught you staring at me?"

The blonde's cheeks turned rosy. "I-I have not been staring!"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say," Natsu replied with a knowing grin.

"Whatever. To answer your question, no. He'd wake up and I am not about to deal with him teasing us for taking a shower together." She lowered her gaze to his lips before meeting his once more. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time later for this."

"We better," Natsu pouted. He couldn't help it. He was practically addicted to the girl.

Soon enough, Happy woke up as well and the three were quickly getting ready for the day ahead of them. They didn't know when the beast would make his move, but part of them hoped he would do it soon so that they could hurry up and finish the book.

A shiver ran down Lucy's spine as soon as she stepped one foot outside of the motel. The frosty air had a sharp bite to it, it was hard to believe that the ground wasn't covered in snow. Luckily, she had acquired quite the collection of warm clothing over the months that she'd been in Fiore; after nearly every story, people were giving her new clothes to combat the cold. Today, she wore a long pink wooly jacket, black pants, and her knee-high boots. It was still a bit chilly, but it would do until she was inside the warm library.

Or so she thought, until they found the closed sign covering the door to the building.

"It's closed," Happy said, wiggling himself inside the warmth of Lucy's coat.

"I guess we'll have to come back tomorrow," Natsu replied, shoving his hands in his pockets with a shrug.

Lucy shook her head, biting her lower lip. "No, something isn't right. This place wasn't scheduled to be closed. Besides, Levy-chan and I made plans to read another story together today." The girl stepped towards the door, knocking hesitantly. "Levy-chan? Are you in there?"

The three waited for someone to answer, about to give up when they heard the door being unlocked. As the door slowly creaked open, their eyes landed immediately on a head of disheveled blue hair. Levy stood at the entrance, her hair curtaining her face as she stared at the ground.

"Levy-chan?" Lucy called in concern. She was about to place her hand on the other girl's shoulder to comfort her when Levy lifted her head. Her eyes were puffy and red, clear indicators that she had been crying. "Levy-chan? What's wrong?"

"He took them…" the girl choked out. Her voice was raspy and dry. It was clear that her mind was somewhere else entirely as she murmured, "Have to get them back…"

"Get who back?" Lucy pressed on.

Levy ignored her, heading back into the library. Her feet dragged with each step as she clearly hadn't gotten any sleep, but her movements were fast and determined. She didn't pay Lucy and the others, who had invited themselves in due to their concern, any mind. Instead, she focused on stuffing her backpack full of things she needed; water bottles, food, warm clothes.

Lucy couldn't bear to see her newest friend so distraught. Walking towards the other girl, she gently grabbed her wrist to gain her attention. Levy finally met her gaze.

"Levy-chan, please tell us what's going on," Lucy begged.

Levy released a shaky breath and nodded. Though she thought she had already cried all she could, tears brimmed her eyes once again as she recalled what happened.

 _She waited worriedly in the library, pacing back and forth. Her eyes never left the clock, her stomach churning with each tick of the minute hand reminding her that time was running out. They should have been back already. They promised._

 _Yet as the clock struck four, despair settled in Levy's stomach. It was curfew time, and Jet and Droy were still out. All they had to do was get a few groceries. What could have taken them so long? Bringing her hand to her mouth, the girl didn't realize that she had begun to bite her fingernails. It was a nervous tick that she couldn't control._

 _"Jet… Droy… Where are you guys?" she had wondered._

 _Hours passed. Levy clasped a hand to her mouth and darted towards the nearest trashcan, throwing up what felt like all of her insides. Fear. That was all she felt. It consumed her being, turning her legs to jelly until she fell to her knees._

 _"Please, come home…"_

 _But as time ticked forward, the two never returned that night._

Levy glanced towards Lucy. Knowing she couldn't handle what she had planned on her own, she told the three of them everything that happened last night about how Jet and Droy never came home.

"How do you know it was the beast's doing?" Happy asked.

"Because it's the only logical explanation!" Levy cried. "Jet and Droy _promised_ me they would come back! Those two are always by my side, even at times I tell them not to be! Why would they suddenly leave now?" The girl buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

Lucy shared a quick look with her partners. They already knew Levy was right. There was no other explanation for Jet and Droy's disappearance. But now things were complicated.

The beast was supposed to take Levy, not Jet and Droy. How were they supposed to get the beast to take Levy and return the other two so that they would have time to be alone and get to know each other? And if that wasn't bad enough…

" _Who knows if they're even still alive,"_ Lucy thought with a deep frown embedded on her face. " _There's no telling what he did to them…"_

"I'm going to rescue them," Levy stated.

Lucy focused her attention on Levy once again. For now, all she could do was hope that Jet and Droy were alright. Right now, she had to focus on the girl in front of her.

"How do you plan on doing that?" the blonde asked.

"I don't know," Levy admitted, grabbing her backpack. "I don't have a plan right now, but I have to help them. They're my best friends."

"But how will you find the beast?" Happy questioned. He then reminded her, "If he was easy to find, the village wouldn't be having so many problems with him."

"It doesn't matter! I have to find them!"

"Let her go," Natsu said before anyone could protest. Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued, "We can't stop her from going. If any of us two went missing, we would try to find each other, right?"

Happy nodded. "Aye."

"So, we'll let her go." Natsu then turned to Levy, giving her a sudden grin. "You aren't going alone, though."

"H-Huh?" Levy stuttered.

"We'll go together. I can find them with my sense of smell. We'll track them down and then beat the beast."

Lucy stared at Natsu with a slight frown. Defeating the beast wouldn't help the story progress at all. If anything, it would ruin it. Surely Natsu knew that. He wasn't as dumb as people pegged him to be. What was he planning?

"You… You guys want to come?" Levy asked, hope sprouting within her. Though she was one of the few mages of Tulle and people respected her power, she was not suited for combat and wouldn't stand a chance in a fight. Especially against someone like the beast, who had defeated much of the townspeople.

"Aye!" Happy cheered, flying above the group. "Let's go find them!"

"It's still early in the day, we could go find his hideout now," Lucy added, cupping her chin in thought.

Tears slid down Levy's cheeks as she bowed in appreciation. "Thank you so much!"

Lucy gave her a gentle smile. "Don't mention it. Now c'mon! Let's go save your friends!"

* * *

Cramped.

Dark.

Damp.

Those were all appropriate words to describe the room Jet was trapped in at the moment. He was currently squished in a small cell with a bunch of people he recognized from their quaint village.

"Droy… Can you hear me?" Jet called out warily. They were trapped in a rather large room, one of the walls lined with cells. Unluckily for them, they were separated.

"Yeah, I hear you," Droy answered. It sounded like he was only a few cells away.

"We need to get out of here and get back to Levy."

"I know that, but… How are we supposed to get out?"

"Your magic, idiot," Jet answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Use your stems to pull the bars apart then we can-"

"You can what?" a gruff voice interrupted.

Jet's brows furrowed and his heartrate picked up in fear as booming footsteps approached his cell. Everyone around him tried shuffling to get away, though the cramped space gave them no leeway. Finally, the beast stood in front of his cell.

The beast was not so much of a beast on the outside- not at the moment, at least. Though, his actions were nothing short of monstrous. He stood tall and menacingly, wearing clothes that resembled those of delinquents. He donned beige pants tucked into black boots and a black vest, similar to Natsu's in length though it had two sleeves. His arms were packed with muscles. He had a long mane of black, unruly hair. Most noticeable, however, were the piercings on his face.

All in all, he was a scary looking fellow.

Jet couldn't help but tremble in fear as he glared at his captor. He cursed himself for being afraid, but he couldn't help it. Not after what happened last night.

 _He and Droy were walking back to the library, bags full of groceries in their hands. They still had about half an hour to spare before curfew time, but as always, the streets were barren. Nobody dared stay out too long in fear of being taken by the beast and most decided to hide away earlier than curfew._

 _It was probably because of this that Jet and Droy were put in danger. Their isolation made them easy targets for the beast, who was crouched on the roof of a nearby building._

 _The two argued over their love for Levy, only stopping when they heard something drop behind them. Jet turned his head to find a boy taller than him and muscles bigger than his head. The boy's presence alone was enough to cause his legs to go weak._

 _"W-Who are you?" Droy asked. He had never seen this mysterious boy before. And the way he was looking at them as if they were going to be his next meal chilled him to the bone._

 _The dark-haired boy glanced at the groceries in their hands before meeting Jet's gaze. A sinister grin graced his face. "Imma need you to hand over the food. Now."_

 _Jet narrowed his eyes and spat, "You must be an idiot if you think we're going to listen to you. Droy and I are two of the few mages in Tulle." The other boy's maniac grin never faltered, unsettling him. Setting the groceries down, Jet glared at him. "You're going to regret trying to pick a fight."_

 _In the blink of an eye, Jet appeared behind the muscular boy, delivering a swift kick that sent him to the ground. Believing that he had finished it, he went to grab his groceries._

 _"Tsch. You call that magic?" the other boy called out to him._

 _Jet turned with wide eyes to see him rise up, wiping the dirt off of his clothes. Then, all hell broke loose._

 _"J-Jet," Droy stammered, taking a step back. "This guy… I think he's the-"_

 _Their attacker let out an ear-splitting cackle. "You're only just now figuring it out? Well, surprise! I'm the one and only beast you fuckers have been hiding from like cowards!" Jet and Droy froze as they watched the other boy's entire body turn into steel._

 _"Y-You really are a monster," Jet said._

 _He laughed. "No. I'm a beast, remember?"_

 _Before Jet or Droy could move, the beast charged at them and knocked them out cold with steely punches._

Jet had learned a bit more about the beast's magic since they had been abducted. Not only could the beast alter his skin type, he could also transform parts of his bodies into weapons, as he was doing at the moment. His arm, which he had changed into a steel bat, clanked against the bars to intimidate the prisoners.

"Quit scheming already," the beast said. "You weaklings weren't enough to beat me before and you still aren't enough to beat me now, even if you do escape. Just shut up, sit still, and be good little prisoners."

Jet's teeth clenched together in fury. "Oh yeah? Let us out and see if we aren't enough."

The beast raised a brow in interest. "You really are a stubborn little shit, aren't you? Alright, I'll let you out. But this time I ain't gonna show any mercy."

Jet was about to throw an insult the beast's way when Droy's timid voice cut through the air.

"Please… Let us go," he begged.

"Droy! Don't beg this asshole for anything!"

"But we promised Levy-chan we would come home!"

Jet was going to scold his partner before the beast's magic spiked. It was so thick and dark, it brought everyone else to their knees. Jet lifted his head to see the beast, shocked to find that pure hatred filled his eyes as he stared back down at him.

"You promised someone, huh?" he asked, his voice laced with venom. Jet wondered what could have possibly set him off in the short time that he had talked to Droy.

"Y-Yes, we did," Droy answered from his cell.

The beast suddenly thrashed his steel arm against the bars of Jet's cage, anger etched in his features. Though he was an asshole before, the boy standing in front of him was completely different now. He was hostile. He was dangerous.

"You bastards should learn not to make promises you can't keep," the beast said. He lifted his arm again to deliver another attack to scare everyone before someone else spoke.

"Gajeel," they said, standing somewhere the prisoners couldn't see. The voice was unfamiliar to Jet. It was a man, his voice even deeper than the beast's. "If you hit the bars again, you'll likely break it. They can't escape, leave them be for now."

The beast clicked his tongue in irritation before turning on his heel and stalking out of the room. "Take care of these idiots for me."

Jet stayed sitting where he was, still unable to find strength to get up. The beast was able to bring everyone to their knees with his presence alone, he couldn't even fathom what it would be like if he was seriously trying to hurt someone. One thing was for certain.

He hoped Levy would never have to meet the vile owner of the prison.

* * *

 **AN:** TBH, I don't really like Beauty and the Beast. I LOVE the trope itself, but the actual movie wasn't really my thing haha! Though I think it works PERFECTLY for gajevy so I had to put it haha! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! :D

 **HollyDragneel:** I'm hoping to add more smut, yes. :)

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, animefan393939, Alexa60765, ThayetJade, Juvia is my spirit animal, DaddyDragneel, Kirinah, Lki, HollyDragneel, MasterGildarts, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Guest, Guest.**


	76. Chapter 76

**AN:** Hello everyone! I know it's a little late in the day but I wanted to update now since I'll be super busy this week. So here's an update! Also, I hope to be able to write more once this quarter ends! I have a much less stressful schedule next quarter so I should have more time to write! :D Enjoy this long chapter!

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Chapter 76

Lumiere

Finding Jet and Droy's scents wasn't difficult for Natsu. Tracking the scent through town and through the forest, however, was a whole other story. It took every ounce of concentration to keep from losing their scents. Occasionally, he would lose it and have to retrace his steps before finding the trail once again. Luckily, everyone else had been keeping quiet so as not to distract him.

Once they sat down to take a break, however, Lucy opened her mouth to speak.

"How are you holding up, Levy-chan?" she asked in concern.

The blue-haired girl gave an unconvincing smile and stared at her lap, clenching the hem of her dress. "I'm doing alright… I just hope Jet and Droy are okay…"

"They're fine, I'm sure of it." Though, that was a lie on Lucy's part. She hoped the two were unharmed, but she couldn't say for sure. In fact, her pessimistic self couldn't help but believe the opposite. If they weren't dead yet, it was only a matter of time… The blonde shook her head, forcing the thought to the back of her mind.

"How is the trail?" Happy asked Natsu.

The dragon slayer sighed. "Not too good. Their scent is getting harder to follow. But I think I can manage it as long as it doesn't rain."

Levy winced. If it rained, they would be done for as it would wash away their scents entirely. And of course, it was winter. It had been snowing lately, too. If it snowed, that would cover of the trail and they would never be able to find them.

Upon Levy's request, they cut their break short and continued their trek through the thick forest. She had to find her friends fast. They had been with her since she was a kid, she couldn't imagine losing them. Tears clouded her eyes, but she willed them back. Now wasn't the time to cry. She had to stay focused in order to help the best she could.

Once nightfall rolled in, Natsu insisted on setting up camp for the night. Levy had protested, claiming that it was too big of a risk. Lucy calmed the frantic girl, explaining that Natsu needed to rest if he was going to fight the beast. Knowing that she herself wouldn't be able to fight, she reluctantly nodded before setting up her sleeping bag.

Lucy offered to gather firewood and dragged Natsu along with her, leaving Happy and Levy at the campsite. She made sure they were out of sight before turning towards her boyfriend.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips. "You know that fighting the beast isn't an option, right?"

Natsu gave her a toothy grin. "It was the only thing I could think of to bring Levy to the beast."

"What about getting us away?"

"Haven't thought about it yet."

"Of course not."

Natsu clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. "Not like you had any better ideas, savior."

"Yeah, yeah," Lucy replied, waving him off. "I guess this plan isn't too bad. We'll just make things up as we go. That reminds me, I realized that Jet and Droy are Belle's father!"

"Huh?"

"The reason Belle went to the castle was to save her father from the beast and take his place. That's exactly what Levy-chan is going to do."

"We still don't know who this Gaston guy is," Natsu said. The name was a weird one that didn't roll off his tongue well.

"We'll figure that out when we get there. For now, we get Levy to the castle," Lucy replied.

Natsu nodded. His gaze flickered to her plump lips and he subconsciously licked his own. Figuring they had a few minutes to spare, the boy looped his arms around the girl's waist, surprising her and pulling her against him. Without a second thought, he pressed his lips against hers, savoring in the sweet taste of her vanilla lip balm.

Their lips blended with each other in perfect harmony. Lucy gripped Natsu's vest, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. Fire coursed through her veins as each second passed. What she would give to be able to let loose right then and there.

Finally, they pulled apart, a string of saliva connecting their lips. Their eyelids were heavy, and they wore dopy smiles on their faces as they panted. They gave the other's lips a last, longing glance before making their way back to the campsite, having forgotten all about retrieving wood for the campfire. They hoped their kiss would sedate them until they finished the storybook.

Levy watched curiously as Lucy and Natsu returned to the campsite. She didn't need to be told that the two were an item, it was obvious the moment she laid eyes on them. She also didn't need to be told that they were just making out, if their flushed cheeks and carefree grins were anything to go by. The two were like lovesick puppies.

 _Love._

That single word was the only concept Levy didn't understand. She understood formulas, theories, equations, all of the nitty gritty details of knowledge that many did not seem to know. She was regarded as a genius in Tulle, and her intelligence was even spoke of outside of their quaint village. Yet she couldn't understand love.

Levy had wanted to understand more than anything. She wanted to understand what the protagonists in the novels she read felt. She wanted to understand what drove people to do crazy things. What drove people to cry both tears of joy and tears of sadness. She wanted to feel the butterflies in her tummy from her own love story, not just from reading the purely fictional ones.

Though she didn't really understand love, Levy could at least distinguish love from infatuation. For example, she knew that despite what Jet and Droy said, she knew that they didn't truly love her in that way. Yes, she had long since known their feelings for her, even though she tried to play it off as though she didn't in hopes of preventing them heartbreak.

" _Jet… Droy…"_ Levy thought, clutching the top of her sleeping bag. " _I'll save you guys no matter what. I promise."_

* * *

Sunlight washed over the group's faces, prompting them to wake up and get a head-start on their day. They breathed sighs of relief noting that it hadn't rained or snow, and Natsu could still follow the trail, though it was harder. Their scents were thinning, but he assured them he would be able to follow it through to the end.

Lucy walked behind the rest of the group, cupping her chin in thought. As the savior, she was supposed to come up with a plan to save the day, but she was coming up blank. She knew for a fact that Levy and the beast had to be alone together, meaning that they had to leave the poor girl at the castle. But how were they supposed to do that? And how were they supposed to bring Jet and Droy back in the meantime?

They were running out of time. They couldn't make any strategies, not with Levy there. All Lucy could do was hope for the best.

The group took a quick lunch break to refresh before continuing. Natsu's nose twitched, his brows furrowing in annoyance. The trail was growing harder to follow and he nearly lost their scents. Luckily, it had been nearly a straight path so far, so the odds of them going the wrong way even if he did lose their scents were slim.

Cold air washed over Levy as she followed behind Natsu. Her breath was visible in the air thanks to winter's chill.

" _I hope Jet and Droy are doing well,"_ she thought. Over twenty-four hours had passed since she last saw them. It was the longest they'd ever been apart since the day they met.

 _Levy was a small girl as a child, even smaller than she was now. Add her short height to her bright blue hair, the child stuck out like a sore thumb. Though she couldn't fathom why, others her age teased her relentlessly for it._

 _Growing up, however, Levy had acquired knowledge that had other children her age looking like mere infants. This piqued boys' interests and they began flocking around the young girl. Other girls grew jealous and resentful, often trying to bring her down with cruel words or even physical attacks. To make things worse, boys that had asked her out and were shot down joined the mean girls in their efforts to make her life a living hell._

 _One day, a rather crude group of girls began their daily bullying. Levy had been more sensitive back then, crying whenever someone teased her. But that day, she refused to give the jerks the satisfaction of seeing her tears. This only served to piss them off, prompting one of the girls to try to hit her._

 _Luckily, the punch never made contact with her skin. Instead, someone blocked it. Levy opened her eyes to find a boy with orange hair blocking the punch while another boy stood in front of her to block the bullies away._

 _"Why don't you girls go pick on someone your own size?" the orange-haired boy asked, glaring at them._

 _"Leave us alone, Jet!" one of the girls demanded._

 _"No. You leave this girl alone. You already know you can't beat us in a fight. We're mages, after all."_

 _"So? We'll just wait until you idiots leave!"_

 _The boy in front of her shot back, "Well then we won't ever leave her side! Now go away!"_

 _The group of girls snarled at them before turning and stalking off. Levy could imagine steam blowing from their ears with how angry they were._

 _Once the girls were out of view, the two boys finally turned to look at her. Levy had happy tears welled in her eyes, grateful that someone finally came to her rescue. They grinned at her._

 _"Sorry about them, they can be real jerks. My name's Jet."_

 _"I'm Droy!"_

 _Levy sniffled and wiped the pesky tears away. Then, she beamed at them. "I'm Levy!"_

Since their first encounter, Jet and Droy were true to their word, never leaving Levy's side. The bullies eventually gave up and life had gotten better for the three of them.

But now they were gone.

Tears stung Levy's eyes, about to fall when Natsu's voice cut through the silence.

"We're here," he said, his voice hushed. He didn't know what to expect of the beast, so he didn't want to go in guns blazing yet, especially since Lucy would probably nag him for it.

Levy whipped her head upwards to see where they were, only to find endless trees.

"What do you mean we're here?" she asked, arching a brow.

"Up ahead. I can smell them. Not the trail, them. And there's a bunch of other scents mixed in, it's hard to miss."

Levy's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Wait, what's the plan?" Lucy asked, putting a hand on the other girl's shoulder to stop her from running. "Natsu said there are a bunch of other scents mixed in. They could be the beast's henchmen or something. We need to be prepared to fight." She snuck a glance at Levy, remembering that they had to abandon her. The thought didn't bode well with her, but she didn't have a choice. "Maybe we should all split up."

"You want to split up?" Levy asked, her face paling.

"It'd be the quickest way to find them. Once we find them, we can regroup and get out of there."

"But what about the beast?"

"We have to trust that each of us are strong enough to handle him on our own."

Levy swallowed thickly, her stomach churning with unease. Her fingers shook and sweat dotted her face. She had no confidence in her abilities, but Lucy was right. The quickest way to find Jet and Droy was to split up. It was dangerous, but she had to do it. Jet and Droy had rescued her before, now it was her turn to rescue them.

"Let's do it," she said, her voice shaky.

The group shared a tense nod before darting towards Jet and Droy's prison. What they found caused their jaws to drop. Hidden deep within the thick forest was an eerie building made entirely of steel. Natsu forced an entry by melting a hole in the wall and with that, the group shared one last look before splitting up.

Unfamiliar scents filled Natsu's nose as he ran through a hallway. Being a fire dragon slayer, the boy wasn't one to get cold, but that was all he felt in the bleak castle. It was void of decorations, or any sign of life for that matter. It was clearly just a shelter, a place to sleep for the beast. For everyone else, it was a prison.

As Natsu ran towards the clumped-up scents of others, one scent in particular stood out among the rest. It caused his brows to furrow in confusion and his fists to tighten. Though it had been too long since he'd interacted with one, he knew the scent of a dragon when he came across it.

The steel building reeked of one dragon. Could it be that a dragon was the beast all along? Could this story actually be a clue to finding Igneel? Natsu swallowed thickly, noting that his mouth was dry. How long had it been since he had gotten closer to finding his lost father?

" _Ah, that's right,"_ he thought. " _It wasn't until I met Lucy."_ After all, Igneel's scales were stuffed safely away in the blonde's backpack. He often thought about taking the blanket for himself, as it was made from his father's scales. But it was just as precious to Lucy as it was to him. It was one of the last mementos from her parents, whom she had never met before. She probably didn't even remember that the blanket was made from Igneel's scales.

Natsu took a deep breath to clear his head. Now wasn't the time to think about all of that. Not when he was finally standing outside of a bolted door, behind of which were the prisoners.

* * *

Lucy panted as she ran beside Happy, who took to flying. The place was giving her the creeps and all she wanted to do was get out of there.

The blonde let out a whine. "Where are we supposed to be going anyways?"

"I don't know, this was all your idea!" Happy answered. "We should've just followed Natsu! Why did you make us split up anyways?"

"It'll be easier to get Jet and Droy and take them away! Besides, there could be more people to rescue. We have to take them into account to and get them to safety."

They turned a corner, hoping it would take them in the right direction but not counting on it. They knew that wherever Natsu went was probably towards the prisoners, so they weren't too hopeful. All they could do was run until they found either the prisoners or the beast.

They hoped for the former.

* * *

Levy's breaths left her in quick, shaky pants. She hadn't been on a run in years as she was more of an indoors person. But that didn't stop her from giving her all.

Part of Levy wished she at least had Happy to keep her company. She had barely spoken to the cat so she wasn't that close to him, but it was better than being alone. Still, she was glad that Lucy would at least have someone to fly her away from danger if she should encounter the beast. She herself, however, was screwed.

" _My magic isn't meant for offensive attacks,"_ Levy thought, biting her lower lip. " _My magic is better for supporting, there's no way I can win in a physical fight. Hopefully I can outsmart the beast."_

Levy cut a corner to run down a different hallway, only to slam into something. Flying back onto her rear, the girl yelped and rubbed her soon-to-be bruised behind. Then remembering that she had knocked into something, her blood ran cold as she felt someone's magic washing over her.

Levy swallowed thickly before slowly dragging her gaze upwards, praying to whatever god was out there that she hadn't just run into the beast. The first thing her brown orbs landed on were a pair of black combat boots with green sweats tucked into them. She followed her gaze upwards to find fur. Black fur over the muscular torso of an animal, to be exact.

Dread sat in the pit of Levy's stomach and she felt her heart stop.

" _This has to be the beast,"_ she thought. She couldn't scream no matter how badly she wanted to. All she could do was sit and deal with her death which was sure to come. Craning her head, she took in the rest of the beast's features.

He was a panther with a white muzzle and a scar running over his left eye. His eyes were a blood red, chilling Levy to the core. Even more scary than his eyes was the oversized sword hung behind his back. Surely, he was going to use that to kill her.

The beast took a step towards Levy, and she gasped for air, scrambling backwards. She couldn't stand or yell for help. She could only watch as the beast approached her. Surprisingly, his brows were drooped and he looked panicked, almost as if he was concerned over her.

"Hurry," the beast said, whipping his head left and right as if searching for someone. He reached a hand- or _paw-_ out to Levy, only to have it smacked away. Ignoring this, he continued, "You have to get away quickly. Follow me."

"W-Why in the world would I follow you?" Levy asked, aghast. "Y-You terrorize my town and take our people. You…" Her hands formed tight fists and she forced herself to stand, though it felt like her legs would give out any second. Still, she mustered up a harsh glare and spat, "You took my friends. Release them!"

"Please, you don't understand, miss. I am just trying to help."

"Help me by giving me back my friends!"

"Miss, you have to get out of her now," the beast urged.

Levy paused from yelling at him, confused over the sheer concern he held for her. His eyes were pleading and there was no bloodlust in them. What was his aim?

"I-I want my friends," she finally said, her fists loosening.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that," he replied grimly. "Now leave unless you want to be trapped here forever too."

Levy narrowed her eyes, pointing a finger at him. If words weren't going to work, perhaps her magic would. Quickly slashing away in the air, she shouted, "Solid Script: Fire!" The word appeared in flames and she shot it towards the beast. Instead of staying to see if her attack worked, the girl darted away in hopes of finding any of her friends.

She was about to turn a corner when the beast's sword flew past her face and into the wall on her left. Levy stopped in her tracks and turned towards him. It was a threat. She knew that he could've hit her if he wanted, but he didn't.

"Please," the panther said with a growl. "I don't want to hurt you but you're giving me no-!"

"Huh?" a new voice cut through. It was low, but had a sharp edge to it. Levy turned as the voice was coming from behind her. Her eyes widened as a man approached them. He had long black hair and menacing red eyes, scarier than those of the beast's as his were filled to the brim with bloodlust. He sported a harsh glare.

Levy found herself inching backwards, closer to the beast instead of towards the other human.

"Is this shrimp giving you trouble, Panther Lily?" the man asked.

Levy turned her head to find that the beast had actually knelt to the human. "My apologies, Gajeel."

"Tsch. Why haven't you thrown her in the cell with the rest of the trash that broke into the castle."

"I-I didn't think someone of her skill level was worth locking away."

Levy whipped her head between the two, unable to grasp what was going on. "Wait, so the beast works for a human?"

"Huh?" the man repeated, turning his attention back onto her. Then, he gave a sickening grin, showing off sharp canines. "Sorry, squirt. But you got things all mixed up. Panther Lily ain't the beast. I am."

Levy's mouth dropped. "Y-You're the beast?"

"The one and only."

"But… But you're human."

"Sure as hell ain't treated like one," the man- Gajeel, as Panther Lily called him- said. With a wicked grin, he took threatening strides towards Levy, who backed away. "C'mon, shrimp. Time to take you to your new home."

"S-Stay away," Levy replied. She could feel the malicious intent rolling off of the boy that had his eyes set on her.

"You want me to stay away, huh? But didn't you come here to see your friends? I'll take you to them, you just can't leave. I'll even let you stay in their cell."

"G-Give me back my friends!" Levy shouted, no longer backing away. She had no intention of staying locked up and she wasn't leaving without Jet and Droy either.

Pointing a finger, she scribbled into the air. "Solid Script: Fire!"

Flames flew towards the beast, engulfing him whole. Levy was about to turn and run when this time, a large, metal bat was thrust mere inches away from her face. With wide eyes, she followed the bat to find that it was actually Gajeel's arm. His whole body was covered in steel, smoke rising off of him from her previous attack. He was unscathed.

"H-How…"

"What? You thought your weak magic would work on me?" Gajeel asked, a smug grin dancing over his face. "Sorry, shrimp. My skin is hard as nails. Gonna need more than that to beat me."

"Please…" Levy whispered, feeling her hope dwindle. She already knew she wasn't strong enough to beat the beast, but now it was clear she couldn't even escape from him. Not when he could crack her skull open before she could create something. "Please give me back my friends. I need them…"

"Sorry, shrimp. I ain't giving back anyone that attacked me."

"Jet and Droy would never attack someone unless they were attacked first!"

Gajeel shrugged. "They should've handed over their stuff when I asked. Now hurry up and follow me. I ain't got all day to mess around with you."

"Please!" Levy begged, whirling around to face him. Tears clouded her eyes as desperation took over. "Let my friends go! I made a promise to save them!"

The beast's demeanor changed as if a switch had gone off. His mocking grin turned into a grim frown. His eyes were colder and every feature had Levy wishing she could run. Then, he lowered the bat from her face, relieving her slightly.

Panther Lily, however, looked more panicked than ever.

"Gajeel, don't!" he shouted.

Levy turned her head to look at Panther Lily when a shooting pain was suddenly inflicted on her stomach. She coughed out blood and winced as she glanced down her stomach, where she had just been punched by Gajeel's steel fist.

Once Gajeel pulled his fist away, Levy crumbled to the floor, no longer able to stand. She couldn't even scream in pain when Gajeel kicked her back with his boot, sending her flying into the wall.

"What is up with all of you bastards making promises you can't keep!?" he barked, stalking towards Levy.

Levy cracked her eyes open to find Panther Lily rushing in front of her.

"Gajeel, stop!" he cried in her defense. "It's over, she can't win!"

"Move!" Gajeel replied, harshly punching the panther in the gut. A cloud of smoke engulfed Panther Lily. When it cleared, all that was left was a miniature version of him, unconscious from Gajeel's attack. Gajeel knelt beside Levy and pulled her up by her hair.

"Get ready to scream, Shrimp!"

And as she was dealt blow by blow, she finally regained her ability to scream in anguish.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the chapter! :D My fav part was actually the ending lol. I wasn't expecting to post this chapter tonight. Wasn't even expecting to finish the chapter tonight either. But I really miss this story so I just had to. Now I have a bunch of papers to write lmao. :')

And only one person guessed it was Lily! Got a lot of Jose guesses but the person at the end of last chapter was actually Lily. Don't worry though, Jose will make an appearance eventually, I haven't forgotten about him. ;) Well, see you next time! :D

 **MasterGildarts:** Thank you so much! Sorry to say this but there will be no gajevy smut in this story! I still haven't even mastered writing nalu smut so I don't want to venture into other couples yet lol. :D

Thank you to the kind reviewers: **jojrre, ThayetJade, animefan393939, Crazymagic16, Alexa60765, chocolatecatsconfusion, Shadow Joestar, Kirinah, MasterGildarts, DaddyDragneel, Juvia is my spirit animal, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulovers, Nalulove, Satyrykal (x3), jenmercado808, Lunahartz.** It makes me so happy that I have such patient and kind reviewers. No joke. :')


	77. Chapter 77

**AN:** Check out this fast update. ;) Hope you guys like it!

* * *

Chapter 77

Iron Dragon Slayer

A bloodcurdling scream filled Lucy and Happy's ears as they ran through the bleak hallways of the beast's home. They had been running for about fifteen minutes, making no progress in their efforts to find Jet and Droy.

"Was… Was that Levy-chan?" Lucy asked, stopping in her tracks. Her brown orbs were wide in fear, praying that her friend was safe.

"Aye," Happy answered gravely. "Do you think she found the beast?"

Lucy turned her gaze to the floor, chomping on her lower lip. This was supposed to happen, right? They were supposed to let Levy get taken so that she could fall in love with him. The beast wouldn't hurt her…

"Happy, let's go!" Lucy shouted, suddenly turning around and running in the direction of Levy's screaming.

"Aye!" the cat replied, agreeing with her. He extended his wings and picked Lucy up, carrying them in the right direction.

Though they planned for Levy to be taken, they didn't want the girl to get hurt. If need be, they could make a new plan. For now, they had to save Levy.

With Happy's maximum speed, it didn't take long to reach Levy. They followed her cries until they turned a corner, their jaws dropping and eyes widening in horror. Bloodied on the floor was a tattered Levy, her eyes glazed over and her skin bruised. Blood trickled from her mouth and she laid lifeless.

"Levy-chan!" Lucy cried. Happy released her, allowing her to dash towards her newest friend. She dropped by the unconscious girl, picking her head off the floor and letting it rest on her lap. She checked her injuries, grimacing when she saw how dark the bruises were.

"I wasn't expecting one of ya to come running over here," a sudden voice called out. Lucy glanced over to the voice and found a man much taller than her with bulky muscles and crimson eyes. His eyes were brimming with anger that had Lucy on edge.

"Are you the one that did this to Levy-chan?" Lucy asked, grabbing Loke's key. She glared at the man, ready to avenge her friend.

"Lucy, be careful," Happy warned. He could feel magic rolling off of the man.

"I know."

The man scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "'S just a couple of girls and a cat. Why would you idiots just waltz into my home?"

Lucy's mouth parted. "Wait, you're the beast?"

"Gettin' real tired of having to answer that."

The beast took one step towards her, prompting her to act fast.

"Open, Gate of the lion, Loke!" Lucy shouted, swishing the key into the air. In a bright golden light, Loke appeared. The beast paused momentarily to study her magic.

"This is the beast, huh?" Loke asked, twirling the ring around his finger.

"Apparently," Lucy answered, standing up. "Happy, take Levy-chan to safety. Loke and I will handle him."

Happy nodded albeit reluctantly, taking the injured Levy and flying away.

The beast smirked. "Big words coming from a weak girl. What? Gonna have this guy fight me?"

Lucy cracked her whip and glared at him. "No. I fight with my spirits. You're in for a world of hurt."

"Gihi. We'll see, Bunny Girl."

With that, the beast dashed forward, his arm morphing into a metal bat. He swung towards Loke, who dodged it by a hair. Loke clicked his tongue in annoyance. His magic wasn't suited against someone like this. He wasn't that good for defense, only his offensive abilities were boosted. If he was hit by that, it would be over.

The beast continued to swing as if the metal bat weighed nothing. All the while, a maniac-like grin rested over his face. Loke continued to dodge, trying to counter. Once he saw an opening, he thrust a golden fist forward, making contact with the beast's face. Unfortunately for him, it hurt him more than it hurt the beast as he morphed his face into steel to protect himself.

Loke jumped away, rubbing his hand. His knuckles were bleeding after having punched pure steel. He looked to see the damage he inflicted, cursing under his breath when he noticed that the steel was hardly scratched.

"That's it, huh?" the beast taunted. With a sneer, he lunged forward to attack. He raised his metal arm into the air, about to crash it down on Loke when something wrapped around his wrist, stopping him. Glancing towards it, he found that it was a whip. "Tch. You think that can stop me, Bunny Girl?"

"Don't attack my spirits," Lucy warned, glaring at him.

"Alright, fine. I'll just attack you then."

The beast tugged sharply on the whip, bringing Lucy flying towards him with ease. He didn't just look strong, he _was_ strong. Not only did he have physical strength alone, add that to his magic and a single blow was fatal. Plus, his magic served for great defense as well.

Lucy yelped as she was tugged towards the beast. He laughed as he brought his bat down to clobber her. Loke moved fast, jumping in the way.

"Lion Brilliance!" the spirit shouted. The room lit up, blinding everyone except for him. Unfortunately, that only paused the beast's attack.

The beast's grin grew and he smashed the bat over Loke's shoulder, a horrifying cracking sound heard by all. Loke shouted in pain, crumbling to the floor.

"H-How…" he asked, clutching his shoulder. The light in the room died down.

The beast opened his eyes, smirking. "Even though I can't see ya, I can still smell ya. You have an interesting smell. Must be since you ain't a human."

Loke craned his head towards Lucy, who dashed towards him. "Lucy… I'm so sorry."

Before she could reach him, Loke was forced through his gate back into the Spirit World. Lucy turned a hateful glare towards the beast and was about to grab for another key when she was hit straight in the gut. The wind was knocked out of her. She couldn't breathe, could only gasp for air.

Looking down, she found a large, metal pillar had grown from Gajeel's arm. Then, she fell to the floor.

"You…" Lucy choked out. "Y-You said you could smell Loke…"

The beast walked up to her, standing tall above her. "Yeah."

"You are…"

"The name's Gajeel Redfox. I'm the iron dragon slayer."

* * *

Natsu kicked the door down, which took a bit more strength than he would've liked to admit. The whole building was made of steel, just what kind of life was the beast living? The boy walked into the room, on the tips of his toes in case the room was full of the beast's henchmen.

To Natsu's surprise, the vast room was filled with cells. It was a dungeon. Every cell was cramped with dirty villagers, all of them gaping at him with fear in their eyes. Fear towards him or for his safety, he wasn't sure.

"N-Natsu? Is that you?" a voice cut out through the sea of people. Natsu followed the voice and found Droy squished between everyone else in his cell. "It really is you! What are you doing here?"

"We're here to get you guys out of here," Natsu answered.

"Wait, we?" another familiar voice asked from a different cell. Natsu found Jet clinging to the bars to see him. "What do you mean we? Who came with you?"

Natsu shrugged. "Happy, Luce, and Levy. We all came."

"You brought Levy!? What were you thinking!? She could get hurt!"

"You really think she could just sit back while you guys are being held hostage somewhere? If you were in her position, would you be able to leave it up to everyone else to save Levy?"

"Well no, but-"

"Levy wants to save you. So just shut up and get saved already. I'm going to get all of you out of here."

The dungeon sounded with the villager's cheers as Natsu approached the first cell. He was about to place his hands on the bars to pry them apart when he felt a sudden spike of Lucy's magical power. That could only mean one thing…

She was fighting the beast.

"Natsu!" someone shouted.

Natsu turned towards the door and found Happy rushing in, carrying a lifeless Levy in his paws.

"Levy!" Jet and Droy shouted. Their mouths were parted, drier than a desert as they stared at their limp friend. She was bloodied and bruised, and it was all because of them. It was all because they weren't strong enough to ward off the beast that she was ever put in this situation.

"Shit," Natsu muttered. He wasn't expecting the beast to hurt Levy. Weren't they supposed to fall in love? "Where's Lucy?"

"She's fighting the beast!" Happy answered. "Natsu, he's strong! I don't know if Lucy can beat him by herself!"

"Don't worry, buddy. Lucy is a strong girl, she'll be fine," he replied, though all he wanted to do was run to her. He knew that she would only scold him though, tell him to prioritize the villagers' safety over her own. He had to rescue them first. "I'm going to get these guys out of here first."

Natsu concentrated his magic towards his hands, not enough to summon flames but enough to make them melt the bars. He pried them apart with ease as they were weakened, villagers flooding out to taste their new freedom. He did this to each of the cells, Jet and Droy rushing to check Levy's injuries once they were free. Knowing that he couldn't fight and protect all of these people, Natsu burned a hole through the wall.

"All of you, get out of here," Natsu ordered. "Go back to Tulle."

The villagers didn't need to be told twice, and ran out of the manmade hole towards their homes. They were excited to finally be reunited with their families again.

"We're going to stay," Jet said, cradling Levy's head against his chest. "We have to avenge Levy."

Natsu studied them. Anger etched their features and it was clear they weren't going to take no for an answer. The only problem with that was that they were unknowingly ruining their plan.

"Alright," Natsu replied, knowing he couldn't change their minds. "I have to go help Lucy. You guys can catch up. Happy, let's go!"

"Aye!"

Happy grabbed Natsu's collar and flew them back the way he came from. With their third partner in danger, he flew as fast as he could, cutting every turn sharply and nearly flying into walls a few times.

Everything was silent. It unnerved them. If Lucy was fighting, shouldn't that mean they would hear it? Explosions, fists colliding with faces, breaking furniture, they should hear _something._ Unless...

" _Unless Lucy lost,"_ Natsu thought, grimacing at the thought.

With Natsu leading the way with his sense of smell and Happy flying them at the speed of light, it didn't take them long to reach their third musketeer. They only wished they had come sooner. In a similar state to Levy, Lucy was bloodied and bruised. She had a black eye and blood trickling from her mouth. Her condition was even worse than Levy's, the tips of her blonde hair dyed red with her own blood.

"Lucy!" Happy and Natsu shouted, rushing over to their friend.

The girl remained unresponsive. Natsu gently picked her head up and checked to make sure she was still breathing. Luckily, she was still alive.

All Natsu could see was red. His body tremored, his breaths uneven. He could feel his magic surging through him, needing an outlet as anger overtook him.

It only got worse when he finally sensed another presence.

A deep growl rumbled in Natsu's throat, not bothering to look at the beast. Instead he asked, "Are you the one that did this to Lucy?" He didn't need to ask to know the answer though.

"So what if I was, Pinkie?" the beast replied.

Natsu slowly put Lucy's head back on the floor, standing up. "Happy. Take care of Lucy."

Happy stared at Natsu in concern. The only other time he had seen the boy this angry was the time Lucy had almost died. He knew being near him at the moment was dangerous. So, he took to caring for Lucy. Not that he could truly do anything for her, though. He didn't have healing powers like Wendy, all he could do was offer his presence and try to make things as comfortable as he could.

Natsu finally lifted his head to study the beast. To his surprise, it was a boy that looked to be around the same as him. Long dark hair, piercing red eyes, and muscles bigger than his head. Intimidating for sure, but not enough to dull his anger. Not enough to scare him away. No, he needed to make this boy pay, nothing could scare him off.

"I know Lucy's gonna get mad, but I am going to have to kill you," Natsu stated, getting into a fighting stance.

The beast rolled his eyes and scoffed. "For what? Defending my home? You idiots are the ones that waltzed in here."

"It doesn't matter. You didn't have to go this far. You hurt Lucy and Levy too much. You took people from their families and kept them locked up."

"I only took the ones that came for me."

"Jet and Droy didn't."

"You mean the ginger and the fatty? No, but they didn't listen to me. And who cares if I keep them locked up here? They should've known it was a possibility. And it's not like humans don't go tearing families apart either."

Natsu frowned. He wasn't wrong. He knew that firsthand.

"I don't care about that," Natsu said. "Point is, you hurt Lucy. You're going to have to pay for that."

The beast gave a wide, fanged grin, similar to his own. "If you think you can make me."

They stared each other down, waiting for the other to move. Then, they attacked.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys are looking forward to a dragon slayer fight next chapter! It'll be a bit different from the one in the manga, hope you guys like it! This arc might be the longest arc, save for the next one. The next one will be long. It might even beat the frozen one tho! Idk yet tho lol. Please leave a review! :D

Thank you to those that reviewed: **Guest, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, Kirinah, stranger1999, KitKat2648, Crazymagic16, HollyDragneel, DaddyDragneel, Soul Eater Maka, animefan393939, Juvia is my spirit animal, Neverendingfairytail, OgaxHilda, Nalulove.**


	78. Chapter 78

**AN:** hi guys! So this will be my last update of this year! So I wanna wish everyone that celebrates an early merry Christmas! Also, this story turns 1 year old on the 29th! This is the longest ongoing story I've ever written and probably will ever write lmao. I love this story and I hope you guys still do too! Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 77

Fire and Iron

They stared each other down for a few seconds. Then, they attacked.

Their fists collided, one fiery and the other made of iron. The clashing magic caused a surge of wind that blew their hair out of their faces. Their eyes were hard, concentrating on the other's movements.

Gajeel created a metal pillar with his other arm and thrust it towards Natsu, who caught it with his hands. Unfortunately, Natsu had underestimated Gajeel's brute strength and was sent flying backwards into the wall. Standing up, he spat blood from his mouth and went right back to it, sending fast, fiery punches.

Natsu wasn't sure what to do. His attacks weren't affecting Gajeel, as his skin was hard as nails. If he wanted to beat the beast, he had to take away his iron shell. Cupping his hands around his mouth, Natsu gathered all of his magic in the pit of his belly before shooting it in a fiery roar.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" he shouted, the flames barreling straight towards Gajeel.

Gajeel stood, dumbstruck at what he had just heard. The fire washed over his body and he could feel his iron skin beginning to crack under pressure.

When the flames died down, Natsu wasn't surprised to find Gajeel minimally affected. His Fire Dragon Roar wasn't his strongest attack, he didn't expect to be able to beat him in one move. But he was able to bring his defense down if just by a bit.

Gajeel scoffed, rolling his shoulders back. "That all you got? You're nothing but a salamander."

"Beats being a nut lug," Natsu shot back. "So, what's your deal anyways? Why're you terrorizing Tulle?"

"I ain't terrorizing anyone."

"Really? Stealing food and abducting people? Sounds like terrorizing to me."

Gajeel glared at him. "You don't know anything."

"Maybe not," Natsu said with a shrug. "But I do know that you hurt Lucy. And no matter what your reasons are, they aren't good enough to justify that."

"You people are really getting on my damn nerves." Gajeel glanced around his home, noticing the scorched marks on his walls from Natsu's attack. "You call that a roar?"

"Huh?"

"Your Fire Dragon Roar. Looks pretty weak to me."

"Shut up. You think you could do better?"

Gajeel gave a smug grin. "Watch me." Natsu watched with wide eyes as Gajeel mimicked his actions from earlier. "Iron Dragon Roar!"

Natsu couldn't move as mixed asphalt came spiraling towards him at incredible speeds. He could hardly keep himself grounded as his skin tore, scratches covering his body. Once the asphalt cleared, Natsu was left panting and staggering. Blood dripped from the scratches.

"You're… You're a dragon slayer too," Natsu breathed out in disbelief. His head was spinning. It felt as though he was slipping in and out of consciousness with each passing second.

"Sure am," the beast replied. "My name is Gajeel."

"Why are you doing this?" Natsu asked, mustering a glare.

"Why? What are you? Stupid?"

"Answer me!"

Gajeel scoffed and crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "I'm the same as you, Salamander. I'm a dragon slayer, taught by a dragon. Dragons are hunted and killed. People that are taken in by dragons are traitors to the human race. We're looked down on. Don't tell me it's been any different for you. We're the same."

"We are not the same!" Natsu argued haughtily.

"If you're all the way out here with that girl, then your dragon up and left you too, huh? Or was he killed?"

"Shut the hell up, bastard!"

Gajeel sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sheesh. Why do ya have to be so damn loud? Listen, Salamander. The truth is, all dragon slayers are the same. When your dragon disappeared, did the humans come rushing to help you out?"

Natsu's jaw clenched and he turned his gaze to the floor, unable to answer. It was true, the humans hadn't helped him in the slightest. That was one of the reasons he hated humans to begin with. Before he met Lucy, that is.

Gajeel read his silence like an open book. "Exactly. They didn't help you at all. If anything, those snooty bastards probably turned their noses up towards you. I was only a brat when Metalicana left. Yet nobody around, not even adults with their own kids, offered to help. I begged for food, none listened. I begged for clothes, shelter; everyone either ignored me or spat in myself, saying that I deserved it for being with a dragon. Was it different for you?"

"…No, it wasn't."

"Then they have the nerve to come to my house with the intent to kill me, thinking that I won't retaliate." Gajeel scoffed. "As if I would just let them kill me. So, I keep them here as prisoners. I make sure to feed them and keep them alive. Ain't that a good life? Seems like a justified punishment to me."

"But you're tearing families apart!" Natsu countered in anger.

The other boy's arrogant demeanor morphed into pure resentment. He bared his sharp teeth and shot back, "You mean like how they tore my family apart? What? You think that Metalicana just decided to leave out of the blue? No, these bastards drove him away!"

Natsu swallowed thickly, racking his brain for any sort of counter. He wanted to argue. What Gajeel was doing was wrong. He knew this… Right? Why was it becoming harder to argue? Why were Gajeel's actions becoming more justified as he spoke?

Why did Gajeel remind him so much of himself?

"Damn it," Natsu muttered below his breath. "I'm not like you. Yeah, I hated humans at first too. They treated me like shit when I was just a kid. I even resorted to stealing too. But I'm different now! I don't hate humans anymore! And I would never do what you're doing!"

"You don't hate them anymore?" Gajeel asked, annoyed. His eyes traveled towards the blonde girl he defeated earlier, who was being cared for by a blue exceed. "Is it because of Blondie over there?"

"So what if it is?"

"Tsch. You think she actually cares about you?"

"Shut the hell up, Gajeel."

"You're a dragon slayer, she's just a human. If anything, she's probably been plotting against you this entire time."

Natsu's legs moved on their own as he lunged towards the other dragon slayer. Boiling with anger, he thrust a fiery fist towards Gajeel, making swift contact with his cheek and sending him spiraling backwards. The time to talk was over.

Gajeel spat blood and growled. Then, he rose to his feet and charged. The two exchanged blow after blow, both on par with each other.

"Iron Dragon's Club," Gajeel said as his armed formed a giant steel pillar. He swung it towards Natsu, who dodged and held onto it to keep him in place. Then, the pink-haired boy countered with a Fire Dragon's Claw, only to be negated by Gajeel's Iron Dragon Sword.

It was an endless cycle of attacks. Neither could gain the upper hand. That is, until Gajeel bashed his fist into the steel wall, causing shatters of steel to fall to the floor. He bent over and picked up a large chunk of steel, using his sharp canines to munch down on the metallic substance. Magical power surged through him and rippled through the air.

Natsu clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was already running low on energy, he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to keep up with Gajeel after he had eaten. If only there was any fire for him to eat.

"Gihi," Gajeel laughed, wiping his mouth. "That was a good meal. I'm feelin' refreshed."

"That's my line," Natsu replied with an uneasy grin.

Just then, Jet and Droy approached, the latter carrying Levy in his arms. They watched with gaping mouths as dragon scales began to grow over Gajeel's skin, causing him to truly look like a beast. Natsu could do nothing as Gajeel suddenly launched towards him at the speed of light, cracking his fist into his ribcage.

Natsu coughed up blood as he fell back onto the floor. He choked for air, but his lungs were failing him. He had heard the cracking of his ribs, he knew that he was screwed if he didn't get up now. But Gajeel wasn't going to let him do that.

"Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!" he shouted, his arm forming a large spearhead. He thrust his arm forward, sending multiple spears towards Natsu at rapid speeds and flying into the ground and creating smoke.

Once the smoke cleared, Natsu's body was limp on the floor.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, wanting to go check on him but not wanting to leave Lucy's side.

"Shit," Jet mumbled. "Droy, watch over Levy! I have to help him!" But before he could move, he was attacked with spears as well, rendering him unconscious in seconds.

"Jet!" Droy shouted.

Gajeel stomped towards Droy, morphing his arm into the club once again before crashing it onto Droy's back. With that, everyone was down for the count.

Happy flew to Natsu's side, shaking him profusely. Natsu was the strongest one there, he had to be able to beat Gajeel. Tears welled in the cat's eyes and dropped onto the dragon slayer's face.

"Natsu, wake up!" Happy demanded, continuing to prod the boy. "Hurry up! Lucy and the others are in danger!"

Natsu's eyes cracked open, taking in Happy's features. Happy was right. He couldn't stop now. Staggering to his feet, the boy wobbled and panted but didn't back down. He trudged towards Gajeel and raised a weak fist, bumping it pitifully against Gajeel's scales.

"Pathetic," Gajeel mocked. "Just go home already, Salamander. You can't beat me."

Natsu didn't reply. More accurately, he was unable to. Instead, he continued his weak assaults on the other dragon slayer. They were feather punches, doing no harm at all, but it was all he could manage.

"Tsch. Don't want to listen to reason, huh?" Gajeel asked. His eyes landed on Lucy. He sidestepped Natsu with ease and headed straight for the blonde. Morphing his arm into a sword, he placed it just over Lucy's throat. "Leave. Or else."

Natsu's eyes widened. With a nasty glare, he took another step towards Gajeel. He wouldn't give up.

Gajeel growled, his patience running dangerously thin. "Fine. Have it your way." He lifted the sword and brought it towards Lucy's throat.

Natsu wanted to run to Lucy. He wanted to take the hit for her. But his legs weren't fast enough. All he could do was watch as the sword approached his girlfriend's neck.

There was a loud, scraping noise as sparks flew. Gajeel's eyes widened and his mouth parted as he found a block of iron floating above Lucy's neck, guarding her from his sword, which had clashed with the block. He scanned the room to find whose doing it was. Alarmed, brown eyes stared back at him.

"Don't hurt her," the blue-headed girl from before ordered. Her body was still in bad shape and it was clear her magic was already running thin. "Please. Let them leave."

"Why the hell would I do that?" Gajeel barked.

Levy coughed blood before facing the beast with sheer determination gleaming in her eyes. "Let's make a deal. I'll stay if you let them go. With my powers to create iron, you'll always be able to defend yourself."

"What kind of deal is that? I've already won. All of you weaklings are staying anyways."

Gajeel was going to attack when he felt something wrap around his ankle. Looking down, he found Panther Lily holding onto him and gazing at him with pleading eyes. The exceed never did like fights. The dragon slayer clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had always had a soft spot for Lily and though he had the ability to say no, there were times, such as now, that it was clear the cat wouldn't back down. Lily was his only friend. He couldn't afford to lose him over this.

Gajeel turned towards Levy again, studying her with hard eyes. "You sure you won't go back on your word?"

Levy nodded. "I promise."

Gajeel bared his sharp teeth and snarled. "I don't like bastards that break their promises. So if you even try to, I'll kill you on the spot."

The girl swallowed thickly, shaking from the threat. Still, she was determined to save everyone. "I won't go back on my promise. I'll stay here."

Gajeel tipped his head in a nod. "Alright, Shrimp. Starting today, you're mine, got it? No going back now." He turned towards Natsu. "Get these weaklings and get the hell out of here. You already released everyone else, there's nothing else here for you now."

Natsu glanced towards Levy. He felt guilty at the thought of just leaving her. Turning towards Lucy, he winced. She needed medical attention now. And he wasn't in much better shape either.

"Go, Natsu," Levy called out to him. "I'll be fine. Thank you for helping me save Jet and Droy." She gave a weak smile.

Natsu, knowing that this was their plan all along, reluctantly nodded. "I'm sorry, Levy." He carried Lucy in his arms and turned to Happy. "Happy, do you think you can carry Jet and Droy?"

"Aye…" Happy answered. He, too, didn't want to leave Levy alone with the beast. Especially after seeing how dangerous he was. To think that someone could've beaten their entire team…

"Let's go."

Levy's throat burned as tears welled in her eyes. She pushed them back, refusing to give the beast that satisfaction. Besides, this was her decision to save her friends. She didn't regret it at all. So, she watched sadly as Jet and the others left what was to become her prison.

Once they were out of sight, she was hit with a thick wave of loneliness, it overwhelmed her. She brought a hand to her mouth, feeling as though she was going to throw up. Luckily, she had fainted before she could do so.

Gajeel sighed as he watched Levy fall to the floor with a thud. Reparations needed to be done, but for now, he had to find a place for his new guest to stay. She was going to be with them forever, after all.

* * *

 **AN:** Time to finally kick Beauty and the Beast off! Since Natsu was only able to beat Gajeel in the manga because Lucy gave him fire, he sadly lost this battle! TIME FOR THE GAJEVY. Hope you guys liked the chapter and I'll see you all next year! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, Shadow Joestar, Kirinah, MasterGildarts, DaddyDragneel, Hey(Guest), Nalulove, KitKat2648, Juvia is my spirit animal, ThayetJade, Neverendingfairytail, Lunahartz(x2), Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Elodia Celeste.**


	79. Chapter 79

**AN:** Guess who's back! I'm finally back with an update. Took forever, I know lol. How is life going for you guys? It's been a while and I missed all of you! :') Here's a quick debrief of what's happening in my life so far: school is kicking my ass but I got engaged so I'm good! :D

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Chapter 79

Captivity

When Levy's eyes fluttered open the next morning, they were immediately met with steel. A groan slipped from her mouth as her body ached from yesterday's battle. Not to mention that she wasn't even placed on a bed. No, the prisoner's life meant sleeping on the cold, steel ground for the rest of her life.

The only thing that made any of this worth it was the fact that she had been able to get Jet, Droy, and the others to safety. They even managed to release all of the other prisoners as well. She felt accomplished, as if she had finally done something meaningful in her life.

However, as bad as sleeping on the floor along with her wounded body was, the worst part of it all was the fact that she was living with the beast who had hurt her friends and abducted most of the village.

" _Where is he, anyways?"_ Levy wondered, unease sitting in the pit of her stomach like a brick. She was filled with so much anxiety, she felt as if she was going to throw up any second. " _At least I didn't wake up to the sight of that jerk."_

Luckily, the worst of Levys' injuries were dark bruises and nasty gashes. She thanked her lucky stars that she didn't have any broken bones or wounds that needed to be stitched. She had a feeling the beast wouldn't be so kind as to call in a doctor for her and would instead let her bleed out and die in her cell.

With a wince, Levy slowly rose to a sitting position, her breathing staggered from the pain. Though her life wasn't in danger, it still hurt like hell to even move. Still, she had to get a look of her surroundings.

The girl was kept in a small room. It was completely empty and made entirely of steel. There were no windows to let light in, making it dark and creepy. To her surprise, it wasn't as she pictured. She assumed she would be thrown in a typical cell with bars, just as the other prisoners had been before. Instead, it was a simple room with a metal door.

" _I wonder if it's unlocked,"_ Levy thought, limping towards the door. There wasn't a handle, so she tried to push it open. As expected, the door didn't budge. It could only be opened from the outside.

She really was a prisoner.

" _I'm going to die here like this,"_ Levy thought, tears brimming her eyes.

The girl wasn't able to mull over her negative thoughts for long, however, as loud footsteps approached the door. Scrambling back as far as she could, Levy waited with baited breath for the beast to enter. Her brown eyes were wide, and her heart was beating at the speed of light. What was he going to do to her now? Was he going to beat her again? Was this how every morning was going to be spent?

Levy wanted to pass out as she heard the door begin to open. She prepared herself for the torture that was sure to come.

The door opened, revealing the exceed from before. Levy allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. She didn't trust the exceed completely, but she wasn't afraid of him so much as she was with the beast. After all, he was the only reason that the beast agreed to go along with her plan in the first place.

"You're awake," the exceed said, his voice deep.

Levy merely nodded, unable to bring herself to speak.

"My name is Panther Lily. You can call me Lily if you'd like." Seeing Levy wasn't going to reply, the cat continued, "I brought food. Are you hungry?"

Levy shook her head. "…No. No thank you…"

"How are your injuries?"

"I feel horrible thanks to your friend. Why are you even friends with that guy anyways? It's clear that you don't approve of what he's doing."

Lily frowned. "Gajeel may seem rough, and of course I don't expect to convince you after he had just beaten you and your friends, but he's not as bad as he makes himself to be."

"Seriously?" Levy scoffed. "You're delusional! That guy is a monster!"

"Perhaps he has done some terrible things. But he was the only one to take me in. He gave me a home, food, and companionship. You may call him a monster, but that _monster_ was the only one that acted humanely to me when I was just a young, starving exceed."

Levy had to admit, she could understand Lily's reasoning. Still, Gajeel would forever be a monster in her eyes. A beast. No matter what, she was going to try to find a way out of her prison and back to her friends.

* * *

Lucy groaned as her head pounded. Her eyes slowly opened, taking in the light that shined over her face.

"Lucy!" she heard Happy cry. Turning towards his voice, she found that he was sitting beside her. "You're finally awake!"

"Where are we?" Lucy asked, her voice hoarse. She needed some water.

"We're back at the library."

"The library?"

The blonde sat up. A sudden pain erupted in her stomach, causing her to inhale sharply. Tears pricked her eyes. Her entire body hurt.

"Are you okay?" Happy asked with a concerned frown.

Lucy nodded. "I'm fine."

Glancing around, she found that she was in a small room with a desk pushed into the corner. It was covered with piles of paper and books. She was currently sitting on a soft bed situated in the center of the room.

"This is the library?" Lucy asked.

"Aye," Happy answered. "This is Levy's room. They live on the top floor."

"I see. Where are Natsu and the others?"

"Natsu's downstairs trying to calm Jet and Droy down. They're really angry."

"Jet and Droy? Does that mean we saved them?"

"Aye."

Lucy smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they managed to help Jet and Droy. Then, her eyes widened as realization struck her.

"Wait," she began, "why are they angry?"

Happy frowned deeply. "Our plan worked. Levy and the beast are alone together now."

"How did that happen?"

"Levy offered to stay as prisoner as long as he let us go. She's a mage, too. She uses solid script magic."

"What's that?"

"She can create something by writing it. She offered to stay and provide Gajeel with metal to eat so that he can power up during attacks."

Lucy sunk her teeth into her lower lip, her stomach churning. Their plan had worked. They had managed to give Levy and the beast some time to themselves. This was supposed to be a good thing, yet it felt so wrong. Gajeel proved himself to be a violent man, who knows what he could be doing to Levy at the moment.

Guilt nagged at the girl, but she pushed it to the side. There was no going back now. Their priority at the moment was to locate Gaston and stop him from hurting Gajeel, no matter how much he deserved it.

* * *

Hours passed by slowly in Levy's prison. After Lily left, the girl had been searching for some way out. She could have easily created something to destroy the steel that was confining her- after all, she could name plenty of materials with stronger bonds than steel- but she knew that it wasn't good enough. Leaving the room may have been the first step, but it wasn't the only way to escaping.

Levy had to come up with a way of escaping without being caught. Somewhere after her battle with Gajeel, she had woken up and watched the fight between Natsu and Gajeel, finding out that they were both dragon slayers. Though there were little articles on the rare magic, she knew that dragon slayers had an acute sense of smell, not to mention their other senses being enhanced as well. There was no way she could blow a hole in the wall and make a run for it without him noticing.

Hearing footsteps coming from outside her room, Levy assumed them to be Lily's. The door opened, and the girl was met with the face of the person she despised the most.

"How you liking the room, twerp?" Gajeel asked, looking down on her both literally and metaphorically.

"Gajeel," Levy ground out. Her body tremored in fear but she glared back at him with nerves of steel. "Why are you here?"

Gajeel smirked, amused with her reaction. "Lily told me you weren't eating. I came to tell you that's not acceptable."

"And why not? What difference does it make to you?"

"You promised that you would stay here and give me metal whenever I need it. That means you can't go dying of starvation on me before then." Gajeel's arm morphed into a metal bat as his eyes narrowed at her. "You aren't going back on your promise, are you?"

Levy quickly shook her head, never tearing her eyes away from the weapon. Reluctantly grabbing the food that Lily dropped off earlier, the girl began to eat it with trembling hands. She wished Gajeel would just leave her alone already, but it seemed he was going to stay and make sure she ate.

Levy used this time to study her captor. In order to escape, she needed to know all she could about him and her prison. Gajeel's appearance was the opposite of her own. He was a brooding boy that wore only black clothing, had long, black hair, piercing red eyes, and a plethora of piercings. Meanwhile, she was short, had bright hair and clothes, and warm, brown eyes.

As she let her eyes glaze over every feature of her captor's, Levy's frown deepened. As much as she hated to admit it, Gajeel was attractive. _Very_ attractive. So much so that she could feel her face heating up as her eyes roamed his muscles. Just one of his muscles was bigger than her head!

Nobody else in the village looked anything like Gajeel. Tulle wasn't known for mages. In fact, she, Jet, and Droy were almost the only mages in the small town. It wasn't a place for fighters, so most of the villagers weren't muscular.

Levy hadn't seen anyone like Gajeel before. And under other circumstances, she had a feeling she would have had a huge crush on him. But the fact was he was the beast. He was the one that abducted all of the villagers, stole from their town, and hurt her dear friends. His looks didn't change all that he had done.

Once Levy finished her meal, she pushed the plate aside. Panther Lily grabbed the dishes and left the two alone. The girl bit her bottom lip, afraid to be alone with the beast, who was peering down at her with hard eyes as if he was going to eat her for dinner.

"Make me something," Gajeel suddenly demanded.

"H-Huh?" Levy stammered.

"Your magic. Show it to me."

Knowing that it was part of their deal and that he would probably hurt her if she didn't comply, Levy reluctantly scribbled into the air. Using her magic, she created a block of metal. Gajeel's eyes widened and he picked up the object.

"It's real," he said.

"Of course it's real," Levy murmured.

"That's some pretty useful magic you got there, Shrimp."

"Don't call me that."

Gajeel gave a wide, fanged grin. His prisoner had a fiery side to her. Most of the other prisoners he had held captive before never talked back to him. They feared him far too much to do so. But this girl- this short, innocent girl- had the courage to retort. He found it amusing.

"Sorry, but seeing as how you're my prisoner, I can call you whatever I want," Gajeel replied. "And since you're like two feet tall, I'm going to call you Shrimp."

Levy only glared at him, not bothering to argue. She had a feeling it would be futile trying to reason with someone like him.

The two were stuck in a painfully thick silence. The tension was heavy in the air as both of them stared each other down, refusing to be the first to look away in their stubborn pride. Eventually, Levy had cracked under his piercing stare with his crimson eyes, as she was already put through so much.

Gajeel smirked at his small victory before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. He made sure to lock it, knowing that his prisoner would try to escape if she didn't.

Gajeel went back to his room, not surprised to find Panther Lily waiting for him.

"You should be nicer to her," the exceed said, his arms crossed over his chest. He was currently in his smaller form as he couldn't maintain his other form for too long.  
"Shut up," Gajeel replied, plopping onto his bed. "Why the hell should I do that? She's just a prisoner."

"Well she's going to be with us forever now. And people work better for others if they are treated better."

"What's the big deal? It ain't like I'm hitting her or anything."

Lily sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to win this argument. Gajeel was the most stubborn person he had met. Granted, he hadn't interacted with many humans. Still, the guy was as stubborn as an ox.

"Can you at least stop scaring her with your weapons?" Lily tried to reason.

Gajeel glared at his only friend. "Why do you care so much about this one? She's just a prisoner like the others were."

"She just doesn't seem like a bad person. Please, Gajeel."

The boy frowned. "Fine. But only for you, Lily."

With that, the two sat in silence, both wondering what life had in store for them with their newest addition.

 **AN:** Alright, I hope to have the next chapter out quickly! Hope you guys liked it! :)

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Thank you to the reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, animefan393939, stranger1999, Kirinah, Alexa60765, ThayetJade, ChiliR612, Juvia is my spirit animal, Guest, DaddyDragneel, Lunahartz, Wyote, AseCat, 1997tink, NaluPrincess, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, FlameDragonHime.** You guys are wonderful! :D


	80. Chapter 80

**AN:** This arc might be one of the hardest arcs to write because Gajevy's development is hard to write after all that happened! But they are my 2nd fav ship in FT, so I'm going to try to give them the development they deserve. Wish me luck. :')

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Chapter 80

Gaston

Natsu sighed as he walked towards Levy's bedroom. He had just finished reasoning with Jet and Droy- well, he finished _trying_ to reason with them. The two craved revenge and wanted nothing more than to rush to their friend's aid, they weren't really up for listening to reason. Not that he could blame them. He would've reacted the same way had it happened to Lucy or Happy.

Two days had passed since his fight with Gajeel, the iron dragon slayer that managed to get under his skin. Luckily, most of his wounds had healed. Lucy's injuries were worse than his own. He wanted to march back to the castle for a rematch after Gajeel had hurt her, but he knew it would've turned out the same.

Gajeel had an unfair advantage. Living in a house made entirely of his element, the dragon slayer was practically invincible. Should someone start to get the upper-hand, he could simply eat some of the endless supply he had. And now that he had Levy with him, that only made things worse. The only thing that could stop him was a one-shot takeout, which Natsu wasn't going to do to someone in the book. Besides, Gajeel's magic upped his defense as well, he wasn't sure a one-shot attack would work against him. So, Natsu took the loss, albeit grudgingly.

Reaching Levy's bedroom, Natsu didn't bother to knock before waltzing in. Lucy jumped from the intrusion before giving him her usual glare. Happy was sitting at her bedside, as he had been the one taking care of her since her own battle with Gajeel. She still had some dark bruises and pain from moving, but nothing too critical. Though, Natsu ordered her to stay in bed just to make sure she was truly fine.

"How are you feeling?" Natsu asked for the umpteenth time that day.

Lucy sighed. Though she appreciated his concern, she didn't consider herself that frail. "I'm fine, Natsu. I promise. Just a couple of scrapes and bruises."

Still, the boy furrowed his brows. "That damn Gajeel. Next time I see him, I'm turning him to ashes."

"Next time you see him, he'll hopefully be in love with Levy-chan and out of his beastly ways."

"How long do you think that's going to take?"

"I'm not sure. People fall in love at their own speeds. Take Juvia, for example. She fell in love with Gray the moment she saw him. I think it's safe to say that love at first sight doesn't apply in Levy-chan's case."

"Who knows, maybe she's into that," Natsu joked in poor taste.

Lucy merely rolled her eyes. "Now that our first plan is happening, it's time to start the second."

"What's our second plan?" Happy asked, the story book in his lap. He had been checking it every few minutes, hoping that the ending would've changed and that they could finish already.

"Now we have to find Gaston," Lucy answered with a shiver. "I don't want to meet that guy, he gave me the creeps in the movie."

"Well it's the last creep we'll have to deal with," Natsu assured, ruffling her hair.

"I guess you're right. Hopefully. But now we're back at square one. It's time to find Gaston."

* * *

Levy sighed for the hundredth time that day. Serving as Gajeel's metal provider was proving to be the most boring occupation in the world. In her dark and cramped room, there was nothing to keep her entertained. There wasn't even a window to gaze out of. No, all she had were walls of steel. Worst of all, she hadn't seen a book in days.

Luckily, Panther Lily came to visit her every once in a while to check up on her. Levy was growing used to the exceed's presence, and though she wasn't entirely comfortable around him, she did allow herself to relax. She had a feeling that the cat wouldn't do anything to harm her.

Still, even though her guard treated her nicely, it did nothing to change the fact that Levy was in fact a prisoner. So, she spent her plethora of free time planning her escape. Not like it got her anywhere, though.

Not only did she have to deal with Lily being her watchdog- or watch _cat_ \- she also had to deal with the beast himself, Gajeel. She couldn't beat Gajeel alone, how was she going to beat both of them? Her only option was to sneak out, but Gajeel's hearing was scary good.

" _I can cut my way out of here and just make a run for it,"_ Levy thought with a frown. " _I probably wouldn't make it far, but I could create obstacles while I run."_ She shook her head. " _No, that won't get me anywhere. What I need to do is first figure out his weakness."_

Every person has a weakness, and that included the beast. All she could do was wait until she figured it out.

A few hours later, Lily visited her holding room. He brought with him a plate of bread rolls and a glass of water. Levy nodded appreciatively and accepted the food without complaint. The exceed gave her a small smile, one that gave her the impression that he hadn't gotten close to any of the other prisoners before. She had a feeling that he had a soft spot for her. After all, he had shown her mercy since the start. Maybe he saw this as a chance for a new friendship.

" _Too bad I don't plan on staying long enough,"_ Levy thought.

Deeming this as a good opportunity to commence her plan, Levy swallowed the food in her mouth and cleared her throat.

"So," she began, her gaze meeting Lily's, "you told me before that the beast wasn't as bad as I thought."

"That is correct," Lily replied.

"Well, if you really want me to believe you, why don't you tell me about him."

"Like what?"

"Well… What about the stuff he likes?"

Lily frowned slightly, cupping his chin. "He doesn't like much, if I'm being completely honest."

Levy rolled her eyes. "Off to a good start."

"Hmm… He likes me."

"Well I could've told you that! Come on, there has to be other stuff that he likes!" Lily studied her as if he was onto her. She fidgeted and broke eye contact.

"He likes Metalicana," he suddenly said, his demeanor more serious than before.

"Metalicana?"

"It's the dragon that raised him."

Levy took in this new information. Curiosity getting the best of her, she asked, "Where is he?"

Lily's frown deepened. "I'm not sure. Anyways, I should get going-"

"Wait," the girl cut in desperately. "Is there another room I can stay in? One that has a window I can look out of?" She really hated her room. If it could even be called that. It was more like an empty closet. She was going to go insane if she stayed there another day.

"Well… There are other rooms but I'm not sure Gajeel would allow you to move…"

"Oh." Levy frowned, her mood deflated. "That's alright. Thanks anyways."

Lily nodded before leaving the room, locking the door behind him. He walked through the halls towards Gajeel's room. So far, the plan he had been cultivating in his head wasn't making much progress.

There was something else that Gajeel liked that he didn't bring up to Levy, and that was cute things. Despite his appearance, the cold dragon slayer had a soft spot for all things cute, and their newest addition was like the definition of cute with her tiny size and adorable features. He had a feeling that was why Gajeel had accepted her offer so easily.

Gajeel was Lily's best friend, and he would do anything for him. The man took him in when he needed shelter, fed him when he was starving, and nursed him back to health when he was sick. He treated him with kindness he was never shown before. And that was why Lily wanted to get him off of this trail of despair.

Gajeel's anger and bitterness only served him negatively. Their way of life wasn't going to make either of them happy in the end. It needed to change.

Lily hoped that having Levy here would change things. The girl was cute and snarky, two attributes that he knew Gajeel liked. Plus, he could tell that Levy amused Gajeel at the least. He hoped that something would fester between the two.

But so far, the two hadn't made much contact at all, and the times that they did, Gajeel treated her coldly and Levy stared at him with detest. His plan wasn't making any strides, but he was hoping to change that now.

Knocking on the door once, Lily opened the door to Gajeel's room, finding him laying in bed with his arms crossed behind his head. The dragon slayer raised a brow and sat up immediately.

"What do you want?" he asked. Most people would find the question rude, but Lily knew that was just his way of talking.

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Lily replied, a slight frown gracing his face.

"What is it?"

"We should relocate Levy-san."

"Relocate her? What are you talking about?"

"Somewhere a little more comfortable," Lily answered, his stomach churning. He hoped things would go smoothly.

"What's the point of that?" Gajeel asked with a scoff. "She's just a prisoner, you know. I don't care about her comfort. She's only here to give me metal when I need it and because she made a promise. It's her own fault she's in this situation."

"I understand that, but if she's going to be here forever, she should at least be comfortable. She is already separated from her friends and family. And it's been proven that the better you treat the people that work for you, the better they work."

Gajeel studied his companion. It was clear that this meant a lot to him, but he wasn't sure he wanted to move his prisoner. That would be showing compassion, which he deemed as a sign of weakness. Besides, it wasn't his problem that their prisoner was uncomfortable.

"We can give her the room across the hall from mine," Lily offered.

Gajeel gave a look of mortification. "That's close to my room! I don't want her that close to me!"

"It'll be easier to hear her if she tries to escape. And it'll be easier for me to be on watch."

"I don't think-"

"Just think about it," Lily pressed, turning around to take his leave.

Gajeel sighed, laying back in bed again. He knew that the room he kept Levy in was unhospitable. But why should he care? She was just a prisoner, there to serve him when needed.

" _I don't care about her,"_ Gajeel thought with a frown. Still, the thought of the girl freezing on the steel floor had him feeling guilty. " _I don't care about her."_

* * *

Happy released a loud yawn as he wiggled his way out from underneath the blanket beside Lucy. It was nearing two o'clock in the morning and he had just woken up thanks to Lucy rolling over onto his tail.

The cat frowned, noticing that his mouth was incredibly dry. He had an inward battle, debating if he should sacrifice his comfort in the warm bed or to deal with a mouth drier than the desert. It was the classic battle between laziness and thirst. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep in such a state, he sluggishly forced himself out of bed.

With half-lidded eyes and droopy wings, Happy flew downstairs to where the kitchen was kept. The library was a strange building as it was designed to be both a library and a place to live. The bottom floor was where all of the books were kept and it also had the kitchen, though it was always closed off to the customers. Since their altercation with the beast, however, they kept the kitchen open and the library closed. The top floor- which was also closed off from the customers- was where everyone slept and also had storage rooms and bathrooms.

Reaching the bottom floor, Happy tiredly flew towards the door to the kitchen when a dim light and hushed voices caught his attention. Rubbing his eyes, he noiselessly crept towards the sound, poking his head around a bookshelf to find Jet and Droy sitting at one of the tables.

A small lamp illuminated their faces, showcasing the anger and grief that they had been experiencing the past few days. Despite it being late in the night, their eyes were alive as they spoke to one another. On the table were a few books along with sprawled pieces of paper and pens.

Happy was going to move from his spot behind the bookshelf and ask them what they were doing when Jet spoke.

"We have to be able to beat him somehow," he said, his brows furrowed.

"What makes you think we can beat him if Natsu couldn't?" Droy asked.

"I don't know, but we have to. We have to save Levy."

Happy frowned. The two had been furious the past few days, but this was different. They were planning something without the rest of them. They were going to fight the beast again. Hiding completely behind the bookshelf, he continued to eavesdrop.

"We know where he is. We know his magic. All we have to do is think of a weakness for it," said Jet.

"I know, but we've been looking through these books for any kind of way to beat his metal," Droy replied.

"Well maybe we should think about his dragon slaying magic. We need to find out what kind of weaknesses dragon slayers have."

"I already checked the few books that we have on dragon slayers and none of them talk about weaknesses."

"Yeah, but we have a dragon slayer here with us. Why don't we use him?"

"You mean Natsu?"

Happy made sure to pay close attention to what they said next after hearing his best friend's name.

"Yeah. We'll just ask him," Jet answered.

"Don't you think that'll be too obvious? He's been trying to prevent us from going to fight Gajeel again, asking about dragon slayers' weaknesses would be obvious."

"It doesn't matter! Look, we can't leave Levy there any longer! We're going to do whatever it takes to get her back. And when we do get her back, I say we make it so that Gajeel can't hurt anyone else again."

"Wait, are you saying…"

"Yeah. I say we kill the beast."

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the chapter! The next one will be mostly Gajevy! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, ThayetJade, HollyDragneel, ChiliR612, DaddyDragneel, Soul Eater Maka, Lunahartz, animefan393939.** You guys are the best, thanks for sticking with me through this story so far even though I don't update very often anymore!


	81. Chapter 81

**AN:** Hello everyone! Meant to update on the weekend but now it's Tuesday? Lmao time flies by. Well, here's the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 81

Baby Steps

"Levy-san, I have your breakfast for you," Lily said as he knocked twice before entering Levy's room.

The girl's face lit up immediately after finally having someone to talk to. Having always been one to wake up early, Levy had been dying of boredom, simply staring at the ceiling for hours, waiting for Lily to pay her a visit.

"Good morning, Lily," Levy greeted with a small smile. She had grown fond of the overgrown cat.

"Good morning," he replied, returning the expression. With that, the two chatted while Levy ate her food. Neither had anything too exciting to talk about. After all, one was trapped in their room while the other chose to never leave the steel home. Still, their talks were pleasant ways to pass time.

Once Levy finished eating, Lily accepted the tray, about to leave when Levy called out to him.

"Wait!" she said, tugging on his pant leg. Once the exceed turned to face her, she bit her lower lip before speaking. "Did you ever happen to talk to the beast about moving me to another room?"

Lily frowned and nodded. "I told him about it and he wasn't too keen on the idea. But he hasn't made a decision yet, I told him to take some time to think about it. Hopefully he will at least come to some sort of compromise."

"A compromise? All I'm asking for is a better room! I already gave my whole life up! My friends, my dream job, all of it! I don't think I'm asking for much in return!"

"Remember, Levy-san. You asked for your friends' freedom in exchange for your cooperation. Gajeel's rules may seem extreme, but you did sign up for this."

Levy's brows furrowed and she turned away from Lily, her anger getting the best of her. Lily sighed, knowing that there was nothing he could do or say that would make her feel better. Thus, he left the room, making sure to lock the door on the way out.

Levy formed tight fists as she stared at the ceiling above her. The grey surrounding her was driving her over the edge towards insanity.

" _I need to find out the beast's weaknesses quickly!"_

* * *

Back at the library, Lucy grinned as she got up to take her shower. Finally, after days of bedrest issued by her protective boyfriend, the pain that lingered from her fight with the beast was finally gone. Deciding to test it out, she stretched her body in ways she was sure to elicit some pain. She was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't any.

" _I'm finally back in commission!"_ Lucy thought, heading towards the bathroom.

After getting in the shower, the blonde allowed the water to wash over her. With nobody else there to distract her, Lucy focused on the situation she was in.

" _Levy has been with Gajeel for four days now. We really need to get a move on. Now that my injuries are finished healing, I can help the others look for Gaston. Thinking of the version in my world, the first place we should look for him is at a pub. But based on the previous stories, they never really go along with the ones from my world."_

Lucy sighed. Finding the characters was her most dreaded part of the process. Even fighting some monsters seemed less stressful than this. Still, with no other choice, she cut her shower short and headed out to continue the mission.

She shouldn't have been surprised to find Natsu and Happy waiting on the bed for her.

Now that her injuries were healed, Lucy threw the nearest objects at them with her usual gusto. And as always, the two laughed at her annoyance and dodged effortlessly.

"Stop coming in uninvited!" Lucy shouted, chasing after the two.

"We can come in all we want! This is Levy's room, not yours!" Happy argued with a mischievous grin.

Lucy muttered under her breath and stopped running, instead glaring at the two.

"We don't have time for this nonsense," she scolded. "We have to find Gaston."

"That's why we're here, actually," Natsu said, his face now serious. "Happy, tell her what happened."

Happy nodded. "Last night, I went downstairs to get a glass of water and Jet and Droy were at one of the tables. They're different now… They were angry and plotting about how to get Levy back, talking about dragon slayers' weaknesses and how to beat Gajeel."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lucy questioned. To her, it seemed like a valid response. Their friend was kidnapped, and they were plotting how to rescue them.

"You should've seen them, Lucy. They looked… _evil._ And then Jet said something that scared me…"

"What was it?"

"They're planning on _killing_ Gajeel. And the way he said it… He was smiling, Lucy. Like a crazy person!"

Lucy's eyes widened, her mind finally connecting the dots. "So wait, you're saying Jet and Droy are Gaston?"

"Aye," Happy answered.

The blonde face-palmed. "It actually makes perfect sense. Gaston was obsessed with Belle, and Jet and Droy are like Levy-chan's fanbase. And now that they're saying stuff like that… I think you're right, Happy. Good job finding this stuff out."

"It's great that we have this new information and all, but doesn't this just make it harder?" Natsu asked, crossing his arms. "I mean, it's not exactly like we can just beat Jet and Droy to ashes. They're Levy's friends."

"I know," Lucy said with a sigh. "But finally knowing who Gaston is, I feel like we made a huge leap of progress. And, we're living in the same building as them for the time being. With your heightened hearing, we can always know where they are at and when they're on the move. It should be easy to stop them."

"But how do we stop them without hurting them? They aren't listening to reason."

"Well, if we have to, we'll restrain them."

"How do you plan on explaining that to them?" Happy questioned with a worried frown. "If anything, they'll just think you're on the beast's side. It sounded like they were willing to do anything to get Levy back, including hurting Natsu."

"We'll just keep them here then," Natsu said. "They aren't that strong, so restraining them shouldn't be difficult."

Lucy cupped her chin. "The problem is, we need to get them to warm up to Gajeel, which is going to be hard, for obvious reasons. Hell, I don't even know if Levy-chan is warming up to him yet. But restraining them forever won't do. They need to eventually all get to know each other. But until then, we keep the two here until Levy-chan comes back."

"How do you know she will?"

"Even if the two fall in love, she'll want to come back to let her friends know that she's doing well. So, while Gajeel keeps Levy-chan trapped in his home, we keep Jet and Droy trapped here."

* * *

Levy jolted upwards into a sitting position as she heard booming footsteps approach her door. Deeming it to be Lily, she felt the corners of her lips twitch upwards into a smile. A smile that immediately vanished once the door opened, revealing Gajeel. His eyes were hard as he peered down at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"W-What do you want?" Levy asked, cursing herself mentally for stammering.

Gajeel said nothing, simply staring at her. She fidgeted in her spot, an uneasy feeling festering in the pit of her stomach. Still, the girl refused to be the one to break eye contact. Not this time. With slanted brows, Levy glared right back at the beast.

This time, it was Gajeel's turn to fidget. Levy's brown eyes were filled with fire. With a low growl, he reached forward and grabbed the girl by her arm, ignoring her shouts and tugs. No matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be able to make him let go.

Gajeel threw Levy over his shoulder with ease. A smirk danced on his face as she shouted and repeatedly hit his back, demanding that he put her down.

"Quit your yappin' already, Shrimp!" Gajeel barked, losing his patience. Why was she making such a fuss anyways? It wasn't like he was hitting her or anything.

"Put me down, Beast!" Levy shouted. She tugged on Gajeel's hair, causing him to stumble a bit.

"Stop pulling my hair!"

"I will once you let me go!"

"Damn, you're annoying, you know that?" Gajeel grumbled, kicking open the door to the room across from Lily's.

"You aren't much better, jerk!" Levy shot back. She was about to throw more punches and insults when she was suddenly dropped onto something soft. Opening her eyes, the girl studied her surroundings and found that she was in a room. A new room.

With her mouth gaping open like a fish out of water, Levy whipped her head towards her captor. Had he actually felt some compassion towards her? Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from her.

"There. I gave you a new room with a window and everything. Now I don't want to hear you bitchin', got it?" he asked, glaring at her.

A strange feeling bubbled up within Levy. It was one that she recognized, but never thought she would feel towards the beast. Towards the person that had brutally beaten her and her friends. Towards the person that was keeping her away from her life at home.

Levy felt grateful. She was surprised to say the least that the beast was capable of enough compassion to relocate her to a cozier room. She was sitting on a bed in the corner while a nightstand stood beside it. In the opposite corner was a small dresser, not that she had any change of clothes, though. It was a small room, but it was much better than the one she was kept in before.

Levy studied the beast.

" _Maybe he's not as bad as he makes himself out to be,"_ she thought. She shook her head right after. " _No. That can't be it. He's still a monster that her Jet and Droy and the others."_

Still, even with those thoughts in her mind, Levy still nodded her head gratefully.

"Thanks," she mumbled, averting her gaze.

Gajeel's eyes widened a fraction before he scoffed. "Don't go thankin' me. I did this for my own good. Now I'll be able to hear you if you go trying to escape."

"Well, whatever your reasoning… Thanks."

"I already said don't go thankin' me."

"Just shut up and accept it already!" Levy shouted, losing her patience. Her cheeks glowed red in frustration. Here she was, trying to show her gratitude and he just had to be a jerk and ruin it.

Gajeel smirked, amused with her reaction before turning his back towards her. "Now stop giving Panther Lily a hard time. He's taken a liking towards you for some reason."

Without giving his prisoner a chance to reply, Gajeel turned on his heel and left the room, not even sparing her a glance before leaving. Knowing she would take off running if he forgot to lock the door, he made sure to turn the key all the way until he heard the distinct click of the door locking. Then, he shoved his hands, along with the key, into his pocket and went straight to his room, which wasn't far from Levy's.

On the left side of the hallway was Levy's room, and straight across from it was Lily's. At the end of the hallway, between both of their rooms, was Gajeel's room. He frowned, laying down on his bed. He wasn't comfortable with her room being so close to his own. Not only that, but giving into her demands for a new room was unlike him. He felt soft. Weak.

Gajeel had guarded his heart with steel walls, and though Lily managed to break a few down, he was still closed off to the rest of the world. And with his stubborn pride and prejudices, he believed it would stay that way forever.

* * *

Levy paced back and forth in her new room. It was a nice room and grateful as she was, she wasn't planning on staying long. Breaking the window would be a piece of cake. However, jumping out fast enough to avoid Gajeel and avoiding the glass at the same time was going to be impossible. Besides, Gajeel was quicker than her.

The only thing Levy could count on was finding Gajeel's weakness. And she had made a breaking point. Unfortunately for her, the only plan she could think of went beyond her morals.

So far, it seemed like Gajeel's only weakness was Panther Lily. The exceed was the only thing the dragon slayer cared for.

" _I could take Lily by surprise and use him as a hostage,"_ Levy thought, biting her lower lip. Memories of Lily's kindness towards her replayed in her mind. " _No, I could never do something like that."_

Thus, Levy was back to square one with no ideas on escaping. Either she would have to figure something new out, or she was going to have to get used to living as Gajeel's prisoner for the rest of her life.

* * *

 **AN:** Just a heads up, next chapter will be ALL gajevy. It's time to start picking up the pace a bit, so maybe expect some time skips too! Anyways, I'll see you all next time! :D

Thank you to all the kind reviewers: **Shadow Joestar, HollyDragneel, DemonicSpider, MasterGildarts, narutoyaoifan, Grizzly98, animefan393939, stranger1999, Guest, ChiliR612, DaddyDragneel, Lunahartz, Soul Eater Maka, Juvia is my spirit animal, ThayetJade, aracelibojorquez2.** You guys are seriously so amazing to me. :')


	82. Chapter 82

**AN:** Quick update, right? ;D And this chapter is a little longer than usual! In the end, I didn't do any time skips yet! But yeah here is some promised Gajevy! :D

* * *

Chapter 82

Breaking Down Steel Walls

Light washed over Levy's face for the first time in days. With a large yawn and some stretches, the girl sat up in bed with a smile plastered to her face. Finally, she was able to have a good night's rest, and her body was feeling great afterwards.

Levy tugged at her orange dress, which now had splotches of dirt and dried blood, in disgust. When was the last time she had changed into clean clothes? Or even combed her hair? Granted, she usually didn't even bother brushing her hair most of the time anyways. Still, she liked having the option.

Then, an imaginary lightbulb lit up in her head and she nearly smacked herself for not thinking of it sooner. Bringing a finger to the air, Levy scribbled various words. She started by making herself a new dress, then followed with pajamas, a new headband, and casual clothes. Then, she went ahead and made herself a hairbrush, vowing that she would start to brush her hair more often now that she had the chance once again.

Levy stared at her finger intently. She never thought her magic was anything special. It wasn't strong like everyone else's, so she always thought of herself to be a subpar mage. But now that she was held prisoner specifically for her abilities and that she had to make her own stuff, the girl was finding that her magic wasn't as bad as she thought. It may not have been strong like Gajeel's, but it was useful, that's for sure.

After changing into her new clothes, Levy waited patiently for Lily to visit her. After their last conversation, she felt that she needed to apologize for her behavior. It wasn't that she felt she was wrong about her feelings towards Gajeel, but she felt guilty for taking out her frustrations on Lily. After all, he was right. She did sign up for this in the end.

A loud grumble filled the room. Levy raised a brow and rubbed her stomach, the source of the sound.

" _Where's Lily?"_ she wondered. He usually delivered her breakfast earlier in the morning before she got hungry. " _Did I make him that mad?"_

Levy shook her head. That couldn't be it. Though she hadn't known him long, she had a feeling that Lily was a levelheaded exceed. He didn't seem to be the type that would withhold food from her over a simple argument.

Knocking twice on the door, Levy decided to call out to someone. "Hello? Is Lily there? He usually would've visited me by now…"

Silence greeted her, dimming her hopes. That is, until loud footsteps boomed towards her door, echoing off the walls. This time, she wasn't surprised to find Gajeel throwing open the door, glaring at her. He had been seeing her more often, she supposed she got used to it.

"Lily can't come and entertain you, Shrimp," Gajeel said.

Levy raised a brow and studied the beast. He had his usual glare plastered to his face, but there was something deep within his eyes. Something that she was familiar with. The beast was worried.

"Is everything okay?" Levy asked with a frown laced with concern.

Gajeel's eyes widened a fraction, surprised that the girl was able to deduce his emotions so quickly. He sighed, feeling that he was growing soft. "Nothin's wrong. I'll bring your food soon. Just shut up and be patient."

"Where's Lily?" the girl asked, worried for her friend.

"He's sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to help him but…" Gajeel frowned as his brows slanted in frustration. "I don't know how to deal with someone that's sick."

"What kind of sickness is it?" Levy questioned. "I can probably help him."

"What? You some kinda doctor or something?"

"No, I'm actually a librarian. I read a lot of books. I've actually read every medical book in the library cover-to-cover, I think I can help him."

Gajeel's eyes hardened and he spat, "You're just trying to trick me so that you can run away, aren't you?"

"Of course not!" Levy denied, glaring right back at him for even suggesting that. "Lily is my friend and he's been nothing but kind to me since I've been here, unlike you! So shut up and step aside so I can help him already!"

Levy heard Gajeel mutter under his breath, something about her being loud and annoying. Then, he stepped aside and crossed his arms, narrowing his crimson eyes as he peered down at her. It felt as though he was staring into her soul, causing her to shake.

"Don't even _think_ about tryin' anything funny, got it?" Gajeel questioned.

Levy nodded and pushed past him, out the door. It was the most freedom she had in days. She followed Gajeel into the room across from hers, which was apparently Lily's. There, she found the exceed in his miniature version, laying on the bed. Lily was drenched in sweat and his eyes were shut tightly as if he was in pain.

Gajeel watched as Levy strode confidently to Lily's side, sitting on the chair that was by the bed. She reached her hand towards Lily's forehead and rested it upon it.

"Hey, Lily," Levy whispered. "How are you feeling?"

Gajeel scoffed. "Sick, obviously! I thought you were going to help him, not ask stupid questions!"

"Oh will you shut up already? I'm asking to find out his symptoms!"

Lily groaned and dragged a paw over his face. "You two are as loud as ever…"

"Sorry," the two mumbled in reply.

Levy took a deep breath to calm herself down. She couldn't help but bicker every time she was in Gajeel's presence.

"How long has he been like this?" Levy asked, turning her head towards Gajeel.

The boy shoved his hands in his pockets. "Since yesterday. Around noon."

"That long?" Levy turned back towards Lily. "Lily, does your stomach hurt?" The exceed shook his head, prompting her to continue, "You don't feel nauseous at all?"

"No, it's just my head," Lily answered. "It's killing me. And it feels like it's 2 degrees in here. It's freezing."

Levy nodded. She assumed that to be the case the moment she saw him.

"Wait, how are you cold?" Gajeel asked. "You're sweating!"

Levy ignored his remarks and instead scribed into the air to create a blanket. It was thick, just what Lily needed. Throwing it over Lily, she noticed that he had immediately stopped shivering.

With his curiosity now piqued, Gajeel stepped beside Levy, studying the blanket. He was in awe that she could create things she wanted so effortlessly.

"That's pretty neat, Shrimp," he said, the words stumbling out of his mouth without him realizing it.

Levy glanced towards him, her brows raised. Did he just… compliment her? Warmth swelled in her cheeks and she quickly whipped her head back towards Lily, refusing to let the beast see her blush.

"Thanks…" she muttered. "Anyways, Lily is going to be fine. He just needs to rest for a few days."

"Are you sure?" Gajeel asked, relief flooding his body.

Levy nodded. "He doesn't have the flu. It's just a simple fever. It is winter, after all. We're lucky it's not the flu."

"How did he get a fever though? He hasn't been outside in a long time."

"Exactly. Imagine a rose. Without water, soil, and sunlight, the rose would wither. Every living thing can benefit from being outside every once in a while to soak up the sun. Not only for mental health, but also physical health. In other words, Lily needs to go outside more."

"Is it really that simple?"

"Yep. Exercising can also help battle illness. But Lily seems to be in perfect shape in those regards, so it really is just going outside. Oh, and also the winter. Do you have any rags?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Dampen it with cold water for me and bring it back. It's for his forehead," Levy instructed.

Gajeel nodded and left the room to fetch the towel. Lily opened one eye and studied Levy, who was too busy with her own thoughts to notice him.

" _That was their first real conversation,"_ he thought, the corners of his lips curling upwards into a slight grin. " _Looks like there's a chance for progress after all."_

Gajeel then returned with the towel, handing it to Levy, who folded it carefully before placing it over his forehead.

"Medicine could help him," Levy said, turning towards Gajeel.

"I don't have any," the dragon slayer replied, crossing his arms.

"Seriously? Well, he could sleep it off, but that would take longer, and it won't really help with his headache."

"I'll go into town and-" Gajeel stopped and stared at Levy. What was he supposed to do with her? He could go by himself, but then she could easily escape. He could bring her with him, but then she would start screaming for help, and there was no way he could take on the entire village outside of home. Either way, he was screwed.

Levy arched a brow, noticing Gajeel's face harden as he mulled over something. Then it hit her.

"You think I'll escape," she said. She knew she hit it right on the nail when Gajeel glanced towards her with a glare.

"Are you telling me you wouldn't?" he asked with a scoff. "I'm not an idiot."

"I wouldn't leave with Lily like this."

"You're full of-"

"I'm not," Levy interrupted. "Lily needs medicine and one of us needs to get it while the other stays here to help him."

Gajeel studied the girl, searching for any hints of deceit. Knowing that he didn't have a choice regardless, he grudgingly nodded.

"Alright. I'll go get the medicine. I'll be back," he grumbled, heading for the door when Levy grabbed his wrist. He stared at her small hand wrapped around him, his eyes wide. His heartrate picked up and he felt warmth spread through his body from the small contact.

Levy, having similar thoughts, pulled her hand back immediately and refused to make eye contact.

"I'll go get it," she mumbled. "If you go, you're going to steal it and hurt someone in the process."

"And? What's your point?" Gajeel asked in annoyance. His cheeks were still pink and he was still cursing himself for the unfamiliar feelings coursing through him.

"I can't allow that! I may have to provide you with my magic, but I don't have to sit back and let you terrorize anyone anymore!"

"You really willin' to steal for Lily?"

"…I don't want to, but if I don't have money. And he needs the medicine, so…"

Gajeel studied her again before sighing. Fishing into his pockets, he grabbed some money and held it out to her, not meeting her gaze. "Take it."

"You have money?" Levy asked in bewilderment.

"I have money that the old prisoners had on them. Now hurry up and take it. Get the medicine." Gajeel took his seat beside Lily, watching over him.

Levy glanced between the money and Gajeel. So, he was letting her go? "You trust me enough to do this?"

"Hell no. I don't expect to ever see you again."

"Then why are you letting me go?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice, do I?" He then whipped his head towards her, glaring harshly at her. "But remember, you did give your word."

"Y-Yeah, I know."

"Hurry up and get out of here."

Levy swallowed thickly, turning on her heel and quickly heading out. Excitement bubbled within her, finally able to see the outside world. She ran and ran, past the doors of her confinement and past the trees that blocked her way. Her lungs were screaming at her, burning as she panted. Her legs led the way when her head wasn't thinking, but luckily they seemed to know the way as she could eventually start to see the top of the clock tower.

Finally, she was home.

* * *

Gajeel sighed as he checked the clock for the umpteenth time. Levy had been gone for four hours now. A trip to the town and back took two hours at most once someone knew the way there.

" _Looks like I was right,"_ he thought, his hands forming tight fists that rested on his lap. " _She's not coming back. Not like I blame her."_

Still part of him thought that she would keep her word. He thought that maybe just this once, someone would uphold their promise to him.

" _I'm such a fucking idiot."_ Gajeel's face scrunched in anger and he held himself back from destroying anything. Lily was still sleeping, he didn't want to wake him up.

"I'll go get your medicine tomorrow, buddy," Gajeel whispered to Lily's sleeping body.

"There's no need for that. I'm back," a sudden voice called out.

Gajeel's eyes widened and his mouth dropped to the floor as he whipped his head towards the sudden voice. There Levy was, standing with a wide grin set over her face and a little bag in her hand. She had twigs in her hair and dirt on her face yet he still found his heart racing.

" _What is happening to me?"_ he thought. Shaking his head, he decided to focus on more pressing matters. "W-What the hell are you doing here?"

Levy shrugged, walking past him and placing the medicine on the nightstand beside Lily's bed. "We should talk in my room. We don't want to wake him up." Then, she led the way into her room, carefully closing the door behind her to not wake Lily.

Gajeel leaned against the wall across from Levy's bed. By his wide eyes and intent stare, it was clear that he was surprised. Not that Levy could blame him.

"You came back," Gajeel stated.

"I did," Levy answered with a nod.

"You must be an idiot. You are never going to get a chance like that again, you know that right? Why did you come back?"

"Believe me, I thought about it," Levy answered, recalling the past four hours.

 _Getting into town, Levy wanted nothing more than to rush to her friends. Oh, what she would give to be able to see Jet and Droy again, to be able to tell them that she was alright._

 _Her feet moved on their own, towards her home. Towards the place that she grew up, the place that she spent hours on end reading all of the novels that she loved, towards the place where she got to know her dearest friends._

 _Then, she passed by a small market, one of the stands offering herbs and medicine._

 _"I hope Lily is doing alright," she thought with a frown. Guilt ebbed at her, knowing that she was supposed to be buying medicine for Lily, the exceed that had treated her kindly and had grown to become a friend. Though a fever was nothing too serious, the medicine would help with the pain._

 _Levy glanced towards the road that would take her back to the library. It would be so easy. So, so easy to just pretend that the last four days hadn't happened. She would eventually forget the beast's existence and the hell she went through. She could be with her friends, laughing and reading like she used to._

 _Gajeel's words replayed in her head._

 _"But remember, you did give your word."_

 _Was she the type of person to go back on her word? Or the type of person that abandoned someone in need, without even saying a word of goodbye?_

 _Levy shook her head with a deep frown. As much as she missed her friends, she couldn't just abandon her new friend. Approaching the stand, the girl bought the medicine and gave one last, longing glance towards the library before running back the way she came from._

"So you're telling me that you _chose_ to come back even though you wanted to see those lovesick puppies that follow you around?" Gajeel asked with a scoff.

"Don't call them that," Levy scolded, narrowing her eyes at him. "But yes, I did. I couldn't just leave Lily without medicine. Besides, if I didn't get it, then that means you would've gotten it yourself and you would've stolen and beaten someone up while doing it."

"Well, you're right about that."

"I can't just sit back and pretend that I couldn't do something about that. So I got it for you, to prevent you from ever having to hurt someone again."

Gajeel studied her with hard eyes. What was she planning? She had to have been planning something. Who would just come right back to being a prisoner just to make sure their guard got their medicine? Nobody in their right mind, that's for sure.

"Did you come back, leaving a trail for people to follow so they can kill me?" he asked suspiciously.

Levy held back a laugh. "Is that really what you think of me? Who knows? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Either way, there's no way you'd lose in this house, right?"

"Damn right!"

"Then there's no problem, even if I did do that."

Gajeel's eyes washed over her, analyzing her every move, looking for any sign of trouble. "If you just got the medicine, why did it take you that long to get back?"

"Oh," Levy replied with a blush staining her cheeks. "I may have gotten lost on my way back."

"Is that why you're covered in dirt?"

"Yep."

"Did you fall down that one hill? The one near the big tree stump?"

Levy's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

Gajeel laughed and for the first time, gave her a smile that wasn't condescending. "I used to fall there all the time. My old man used to give me shit for it all the time."

Levy's eyes widened and her old conversation with Lily replayed in her head.

 _Lily frowned slightly, cupping his chin. "He doesn't like much, if I'm being completely honest."_

 _Levy rolled her eyes. "Off to a good start."_

 _"Hmm… He likes me."_

 _"Well I could've told you that! Come on, there has to be other stuff that he likes!" Lily studied her as if he was onto her. She fidgeted and broke eye contact._

 _"He likes Metalicana," he suddenly said, his demeanor more serious than before._

 _"Metalicana?"_

 _"It's the dragon that raised him."_

 _Levy took in this new information. Curiosity getting the best of her, she asked, "Where is he?"_

 _Lily's frown deepened. "I'm not sure."_

Levy opened her mouth to question Gajeel about Metalicana when her stomach growled loudly enough for the world to hear. Gajeel's lips curled upwards into the teasing smirk that Levy was growing used to. Perhaps even fond of, if she was being honest with herself.

"Don't look at me like that!" Levy shouted, slapping his arm. Her cheeks were bright red in embarrassment. "I haven't had anything to eat at all today!"

"I didn't even say anything!" Gajeel replied, his smirk growing.

"Well you were thinking it! I could tell you were making fun of me from your smile!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back with some food. Stay here."

Gajeel turned and left the room, closing the door on the way out. He fished for the key in his pocket and paused. Swallowing thickly, he turned on his heel and strode down the hall.

" _If she didn't leave before, she won't leave now."_

In minutes, he returned with a plate of sliced ham.

Levy accepted the plate with arched brows. "Really? Sliced ham? That's it?"

"Shut up. Lily is the one that does the cooking around here," Gajeel grumbled, his cheeks dusted pink.

The girl giggled, deciding that she liked seeing him embarrassed.

"I'm going to bed. Night, Shrimp," Gajeel said, taking his leave.

"Goodnight, Gajeel," Levy replied, watching him leave. This time, she heard the door click as he locked the door. With a sigh, the girl ate her food and began to think.

" _He's really not that bad of a person. Maybe… Maybe I'm here for a reason. Maybe I can help change him and he can redeem himself with the town. That way, he can get an earnest job and not terrorize everyone anymore and I can go back to Jet and Droy. Jet and Droy… I wonder what they are doing right now."_

* * *

"Are you sure that's the right stuff?" Droy asked, watching as Jet sprinkled the purple potion into the mix.

"I'm positive," the taller boy replied. He poured every last bit into the pot. "The sooner we figure out how to make this, the faster we can save Levy."

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Jet? What about Natsu and the others?"

"They'll forgive us once we get Levy back, believe me. Now, you ready?"

Droy nodded, watching as Jet poured some of their concoction into two separate glasses. They swallowed thickly before bringing the rim to their lips and hesitantly taking it in. Then, their eyes drooped closed for the night.

* * *

 **AN:** Let me know about to Gajevy development! I don't feel like I'm rushing it for once so let me know! :D And what are Jet and Droy planning? ;D

As always, thank you so much to the reviewers: **DemonicSpider, narutoyaoifan, Juvia is my spirit animal, HollyDragneel, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, ChiliR612, stranger1999, Lunahartz, animefan393939.** You guys leave such nice reviews. :')


	83. Chapter 83

**AN:** Hello everyone! Been a while! Who is ready for an update? :D Thank you for being patient. :)

* * *

Chapter 83

Metalicana

"Oi, Shrimp! Wake up!" Gajeel shouted, barging into the girl's room.

Levy shot up in bed, her bright blue locks disheveled and her face flushed with heat. "What the hell, Gajeel!?"

The boy gave his signature laugh, placing a plate of sliced ham on the nightstand. "Got your breakfast for you."

Two days had passed since Levy had gone to town to get medicine for Lily. The exceed was in much better condition now, but had been sleeping more lately to rest up. Since then, Gajeel had been the one preparing the meals.

"Sliced ham again? You really should learn how to cook, you know."

"Shut up. As if you could do better."

"I can! I have read multiple recipes! I can actually make something unlike you, who only slices up ham!"

"Oh yeah?" Gajeel asked, butting his head against Levy's. "Why don't you prove it then, Shrimp? You think you can make better food than me? Then prove it."

Levy pouted and crossed her arms. "Fine! I will!"

"Care to put your money where your mouth is?"

"Huh? I don't have any money."

"Not actual money. But a bet of some kind. Let's see, if I win… You have to do everyone's laundry from now on! And let me warn you, my training clothes don't smell like daisies." Gajeel gave a mischievous laugh.

"Fine with me," Levy replied, crossing her arms haughtily. Feeling like she was making great strides with her relationship with Gajeel- whatever that may be- the girl felt confident. "And if I win, we start having outside time every day."

"Huh? You wanna go outside? That's it?"

"Yeah. I told you, it's good for our health."

"Alright, you've got yourself a-"

"Wait, I want something else, too," Levy said. Though she felt confident with her last request, she was sure this one was going to get shut down. Still, she felt the need to try. After all, she had a new plan. One of having Gajeel redeem himself. This would be a good start.

"You're greedy, aren't you?" Gajeel asked with a smirk. "Alright, name it."

Levy took a deep breath. "I want to be able to roam the house. I don't want to be locked away like a prisoner anymore."

"Huh? No way! What the hell kinda wager is that? I'm only having you do laundry!"

"Okay, if you win I'll do all of the cleaning! Everything!"

Gajeel studied the girl. Her eyes were gleaming with determination and hope, hope that he couldn't bring himself to diminish.

" _I really am getting soft."_ There was something about Levy. Something about her that made him less guarded. He wasn't quick to shut her down anymore and he found himself going to visit her more often now. In fact, he spent most of the days with her. And she didn't seem to mind. On the contrary, she actually greeted him with wide smiles every time. Smiles that made his heart soar.

"Fine," Gajeel said. "If you win, you can roam the house freely. But only the inside! No goin' out! Or else you'll go back on your word!"

"Sheesh, Gajeel! Learn to trust me a little, will you?" Levy replied, rolling her eyes. "I already showed that I wasn't going to back on my word."

Gajeel's eyes hardened and he turned away from her. "We'll see… Now c'mon, Shrimp. It's time I kick your ass at cooking."

Levy followed Gajeel to the kitchen. It was a bit small and the furnishing was outdated, but it would have to do. Checking the cupboards for the ingredients available, she found that they barely had any food.

"How have you guys survived this long?" Levy asked.

"Stealing," Gajeel answered with a shrug.

"Well, I'm sure I can make something good with what we have! Let's see, you have eggs. That's good. Oh, and you have bread! I've got it!"

Levy grabbed a bowl and began to crack eggs into it. Grabbing a spoon- Gajeel didn't own a whisk- she began to stir it up until the yolk and the whites were all mixed. Turning on the stove, she leaned against the counter, waiting for it to heat up to the right temperature.

Meanwhile, Gajeel snatched the remaining eggs away from Levy's side of the counter and grabbed one of the two pans he owned. They were old and stained, but he didn't care. Turning to the stove, he found that it was still heating up.

"Oi, you better not be stealing my idea, Shrimp," he said, peering inside Levy's bowl.

The girl snatched her mix and glared at him. "If anything, you're the one stealing my idea since I finished first!"

"Only because you were hogging the ingredients!"

"Well excuse me for _your_ lack of food! It's not my fault we're forced to use the same stuff!"

The two crossed their arms and glared at each other, their faces mere inches apart after getting caught up in their bickering. Levy took their close proximity to her advantage, her eyes roaming his stature. She had known since their first encounter that Gajeel was an extremely attractive boy, the only thing ruining that being his horrible personality. However, as she was getting to know him, he was starting to loosen up. His rude, aggressive persona from before was diluting. Now, he was just a boy that had a rough exterior but was a total softy on the inside.

That wasn't to say that Levy had forgiven Gajeel for all that he had done. No, he still had some redemption to do, including with her. However, she felt her anger and hatred towards him burning away, replaced with curiosity. She found that spending time with him wasn't as bad as she originally thought it to be and found herself smiling a lot around him.

And that wasn't the only thing she found herself doing around Gajeel. Ever since she chose to come back to the house after getting Lily his medicine, Levy had been brushing her hair every morning and trying to look her best. Her heartrate was on the fritz and she felt like her cheeks were permanently red with how much she was blushing lately. Her face was a tomato every time their hands merely brushed against each other.

Levy was no idiot. She aced all of her classes, her intelligence was known throughout her town and even in other cities, and she could proudly say that she had read every book in the library at least once. She couldn't deny her feelings.

She had read the books, she had seen the plays. She knew what it all meant. She didn't know how deep her feelings ran, but she knew that she was at the very least interested in Gajeel romantically. She wasn't rushing to call it love or anything similar yet, but somehow during her stay, she had grown fond of the beast.

Levy sighed, leaning against the counter. Never in a million years did she believe that she would fall for the beast. Unlike every protagonist in the novels she read, she just so happened to fall for the villain.

Still, even with these new feelings, she didn't want to spend the rest of her life here. Not like this. She needed to get Gajeel to redeem himself so that she could leave and perhaps talk to Gajeel on different terms.

To do so, she needed to know what set him down the path of stealing and assaulting.

"Hey, Gajeel," Levy began, fiddling with her fingers. "Can I ask you about something?"

The boy raised a brow, turning to face her. "What?"

Levy swallowed thickly, having a feeling that the conversation was going to turn hostile. "Why do you hate promises so much?"

Gajeel's eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly. Then, he turned away with a scowl. "It's not that I hate promises. I just hate the people that break them."

"Don't get me wrong, broken promises can annoy me, too. But your reaction to it is totally different. You get so angry, angrier than I've ever seen anyone. You're so hung over them, it's like you become a different person entirely when a promise is brought up. You're always talking about how I gave you my word and you were furious when I told you I promised I would save Jet and Droy." Levy frowned and finally met his gaze, scared for what she would say next. "Does it have something to do with Metalicana?"

Gajeel's eyes widened and his body became stone cold. Just hearing the name brought back memories and emotions he hoped to never experience again. His body grew rigid and his eyes flared with anger as he bared his sharp canines.

"Did Lily tell you that name?" he asked, his voice dark.

Levy swallowed thickly, hoping that she didn't just get Lily in trouble. "Yes, but he didn't go into detail. He just said that Metalicana was your father."

"Quit saying that bastard's name!" Gajeel shouted. He saw Levy jump from his sudden shout, guilt ebbing at him. His anger simmered, but didn't vanish. It never would. With a frown plastered to his face, he said quietly, "Yeah, he was my old man."

"What happened to him?" Levy asked, her stomach churning for what was going to say next. His reaction to his name alone was enough to inform her that whatever happened between the two wasn't good. And it probably explained why Gajeel did all the things he did.

Gajeel turned his back towards Levy. Before, he would've cursed at her, told her it was none of her business, perhaps even hurt her. Now, with her brown, curious eyes staring at him, he couldn't find the resolve to do any of those things.

"It happened years ago," Gajeel started, his hands forming tight fists. "It was way before I met Lily, when I was just a snot-nosed brat. My parents abandoned me in the forest when I was a baby. That was when Metalicana found me."

"So he wasn't your birth father?" Levy asked.

"Nah. But he was more of a parent than those two put together. He found me on the brink of death and nursed me back to health. Can you imagine, a dragon nursing an infant?"

"Wait, he was a dragon!?" Levy asked, her mouth wide open.

Gajeel stared at her quizzically. "Well, yeah. I'm a dragon slayer, what did you expect? How else would I have learned the magic?"

"I-I guess that makes sense… Not really…"

"Anyways, Metalicana took me in after that. He may not have been like other dads that tell their kids they love them every day, or ask them how their day was, but he was my father. I great one, at that. He taught me survival skills, my magic, how to read and write, he taught me everything. We lived away from everyone else since dragons were being hunted and he didn't like interacting with people.

"Then one morning, I woke up and found that he was gone. I was just a little runt back then, so I just sat around and cried for hours like a little wimp. Then, Metalicana came back. I asked him where he went, but he didn't tell me. He just told me to quit crying, but I couldn't stop. So, he promised me that he would never leave me again. And just like that, I stopped crying."

Levy swallowed thickly, her stomach doing flips as she waited with baited breath for what he was going to say next. She had a bad feeling about it.

"We were together for years. We were happy. Or at least I thought we were," Gajeel said, his nails digging into the palms of his hands, drawing blood. His eyes flashed with anger as he continued, "Fast forward a year later, and the bastard is gone again. I didn't cry or worry right away that time. I figured he would be back in a day or two. But days turned to months.

"I searched through the woods for my old man. Eventually, I found my way into town. I was starving and begging for food, but nobody believed me. When people asked me what happened to me, they didn't believe that I was raised by a dragon. Not until I showed them my magic. Then, they were driving me out of town, sayin' that it's what I deserved for siding with a dragon. That's when I started stealing. To this day, Metalicana never came back for me. Never will."

"How do you know something didn't happen to him?" Levy asked with a frown. Her eyes were watery from his story and her heart broke for him. It was no wonder that Gajeel hated humans after the way they treated him.

Gajeel scoffed. "Even if humans managed to injure Metalicana enough, there would be reports of it."

Levy bit her lower lip. He was right. Every dragon killed or badly injured was reported.

Gajeel glared at the floor. "I accepted the bitter truth not too long after what happened. He didn't just vanish. He up and left on his own will and never looked back. He abandoned me."

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation!" Levy persisted, her tears building up. "You said so yourself that he was a good father, why would he just leave you out of nowhere?"

"Don't know, don't care. Whatever the reason is doesn't justify what he did. Unlike Salamander, I'm not too delusional to face reality. Besides, even if my deadbeat old man left, I still found a way to survive. I found Lily not too long after, too."

Levy kept her mouth shut after that, not knowing what to say without trampling over his feelings. Though she couldn't believe that Metalicana would just abandon him for no good reason, it wasn't right of her to try to justify what he did no matter what his reasoning was. The fact was, he left Gajeel when he was just a child. There was nothing she could say to help him.

"What about you?" Gajeel suddenly asked, gazing at her in curiosity.

"Huh?"

"I told you about me. Your turn."

"Oh. Well, there's not much. My parents died when I was thirteen in a work-related accident. I was close to them, but thanks to Jet and Droy, I was able to move on."

"You mean your fanboys?" Gajeel taunted.

"They aren't my fans," Levy replied with a sigh. "They're just very… Encouraging. They want the best for me and want to protect me."

"And they're obsessed with you."

"Not obsessed. Just very loyal, I suppose. They helped me when I was being bullied and we've been inseparable since. Well, until now at least."

Gajeel clicked his tongue, guilt settling in the pit of his stomach for keeping her away from her friends.

"So you're a librarian, huh?" he asked, changing the subject.

At this, Levy's face lit up. "Yep! I love reading more than anything!"

Gajeel's lips twitched upwards into an amused smirk. "I thought librarians were old ladies."

"Don't be rude! Anyone can love reading, not just old ladies!"

"Yeah, nerds."

Levy puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and slapped Gajeel's arm, who was cackling away at her expression. Then, a loud grumble filled the room, this time being Gajeel's stomach, reminding her why they were in the kitchen in the first place.

"The stove should be ready by now," Levy said, grabbing her mix and a pan.

"That's right, I was going to kick your ass at cooking," Gajeel replied, flashing her a grin.

"We'll see about that!"

About thirty minutes later, both were finished cooking. Levy had decided to make french toast while Gajeel made simple scrambled eggs. Both headed towards Lily's room, bickering about whose dish would win the contest.

"Lily?" Levy called, knocking on the door. "Are you awake?"

In seconds, the door was opened, revealing Lily with a smile on his face. He looked to be in great condition after the days of rest and downing medicine shots.

"Good morning, Levy-san, Gajeel," he greeted. "What's going on?"

"We made food and we want you to judge whose is the best," Levy answered.

"Really?" Lily fought back a smile. " _Looks like great progress was made between the two while I was sick."_

"Yeah! So we're going to have to blindfold you while you eat it, just to make sure you don't know who made what. Come on, let's go!"

Levy created a blindfold using her magic and tied it around Lily's eyes. Then, they traveled to the kitchen, sitting the exceed down in a chair in front of the food. They handed him a fork and placed the first dish in front of him, Gajeel's scrambled eggs.

Lily slowly lowered the fork into the eggs and picked up a piece, carefully bringing it to his mouth. He chewed slowly, making sure to really get a good taste before critiquing it. "Scrambled eggs, huh? They aren't overcooked or undercooked, which is good. However, they are lacking flavor. I would only eat this if there was no other option."

Gajeel grinded his teeth together and cursed Lily mentally. Levy flashed him a smug grin, pushing her plate in front of Lily, who stabbed the french toast with his fork and brought it to his mouth. He chewed silently for a few seconds until suddenly spitting the food out.

"Ouch. While the french toast has a bit more flavor that the scrambled eggs, it also has eggshells in it that just stabbed the roof of my mouth. I have to go with the scrambled eggs," Lily said, removing the blindfold.

Levy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and her jaw dropped to the floor. "W-What!?"

Gajeel cackled, prodding the girl with his elbow. "Looks like reading the recipes didn't help you, did it?"

"I-I didn't notice the eggshells. I guess I'm not much of a cook either."

"Which means you lose the bet," Gajeel said, smirking at her.

Levy glared at him before marching back to her room, closing her door with a huff.

* * *

An hour later, Gajeel barged in Levy's room, finding her laying in bed. She immediately sat up and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oi, don't give me that look," Gajeel said. "I won fair and square."

"Whatever," she huffed, looking away.

The boy studied her, noting that she was still upset with losing. With a drawn out sigh, he walked towards her, grabbing her by the arms.

Levy flushed, finally meeting his gaze. "What are you-!" Without letting her finish, Gajeel through her over his shoulder and started walking out of the room. "Gajeel! Put me down!"

"Nope. You're coming with me, sore loser," he replied. He led the way through the house, down halls that Levy had never been before.

Eventually, the two stopped in front of a set of grand doors. Levy squeaked as Gajeel finally put her down. Smoothing down her dress, the girl watched as he pushed open one of the doors, her jaw hitting the ground as she saw what was awaiting her. Inside the room were shelves of books, thick and covered in dust. Her feet moved on their own, dragging her quickly inside the room. Her eyes were wide as she ran a finger over the spines of the lined books, finding that the covers were made with scales.

"Are these…" she breathed out at a loss for words.

"Yep," Gajeel answered, picking up where she left off. "These books were all written by dragons. Metalicana saved a few of them. Most of them ain't anything interesting. They're mostly on dragon slaying magic or the history of dragons."

"N-No way…" Levy turned towards Gajeel, her heart leaping within her chest. Though he acted as if it didn't mean much, his gesture was one of the kindest things anyone had ever done for her. Once again, her feet moved on their own, walking towards the boy. She grabbed his collar and stood on the tips of her toes, bringing his face towards hers.

Gajeel's eyes were wide and his mouth parted as he watched Levy's eyes droop closed and her face approach his. Finally, her lips brushed against his cheek in a soft kiss.

Pulling back, Levy's lashes fluttered as she shyly met Gajeel's gaze. "Th-Thank you."

Gajeel swallowed thickly. "D-Don't mention it."

The two stared deeply into each other's eyes, wanting to close the gap between them. Both were fairly certain of the other's feelings, so it wouldn't have been bad if they did. Gajeel, being the brave one, slowly moved his hand to Levy's face, brushing back some of the blue locks of hair that always managed to capture his attention. Cupping her head, he slowly moved forward.

Both of their eyes started to close with anticipation, their breaths fanning each other's faces. And as the sun began to set, painting the room a vivid shade of orange, their lips finally met.

* * *

Once night fell, Lucy began setting up the table for dinner. She, Natsu, and Happy had been keeping tabs during the day on Jet and Droy after finding out that they were Gaston. Lately, the two seemed to be better than before. It was clear they were still angry and wanted to help Levy, but it appeared that they were coming to terms with the fact that they didn't have a chance at defeating Gajeel.

"Thanks for setting up the table, Lucy," Jet said, giving the blonde a weak smile.

"Don't mention it," she replied, returning the expression.

Natsu and Happy came to the table, plopping into their seats.

"What's for dinner tonight, I'm starving!" Natsu exclaimed, rubbing his stomach.

"Aye! I hope it's fish!" Happy added.

Lucy sighed. "You always want fish. Just be grateful that Droy has been making us dinner."

Droy chuckled, carrying out a large, steaming pot of vegetable stew, placing it by a large bowl of rice on the table. Everyone licked their lips in anticipation, the smell of cooked meat causing their stomachs to rumble with excitement.

"Droy, don't forget the drinks," Jet said, giving his friend a look that went unnoticed by the others, who were too entranced by the food.

"Y-Yeah," the boy said, going back to the kitchen. He returned momentarily with five glasses, all filled to the rim with a deep, red liquid.

"What is that?" Lucy questioned, raising a brow.

"Cranberry juice," Jet answered. "It's healthy and we've been trying to get Droy to lose some weight."

Droy's hand shook as he handed out drinks, placing them in front of their guests. Then, he and Jet sat as well. Everyone ate their food, content smiles on their faces.

Jet watched discreetly, noticing that nobody was drinking their drinks. Clearing his throat, he raised his glass. "I saw we propose a toast."

"A toast?" Happy repeated. "For what?"

"For our new friendship, of course."

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy shared a glance before shrugging. They lifted their drinks, and everybody cheered as they clanked them together. Lucy smiled as she brought the glass to her lips, the red liquid sliding down her throat with ease. Happy followed her lead, though he wasn't fond of cranberry juice.

Natsu sniffed his drink before taking a small sip. Then, he heard a loud thump from beside him. To his surprise, Happy had fallen out of his seat and was unconscious on the floor.

"H-Happy?" Lucy called out. Her eyes were growing heavy. Bringing a hand to her face, she found her vision blurring. "W-What's happening?" Then, she fell to her side, about to hit the ground when Jet caught her.

Natsu's eyes widened, noticing that Jet and Droy were completely fine. His head began to feel heavy, so he gripped the table for support. "Y-You did this!"

"Sorry, Natsu," Jet replied, gently laying Lucy forward so she could rest her head on the table. He then walked around the table towards Natsu and picked Happy off of the floor.

Natsu formed a tight fist and tried to punch Jet, only to find that he was out of energy. His vision was cutting out and his eyes were about to close. "…Why?"

"We need to save Levy," Droy answered, a frown glued to his face. "You three wouldn't let us, so we had to do something about it."

"This isn't the way!"

"Don't worry, the potion is nothing serious. You'll just be asleep for about half of a day. That's enough time for us to save Levy," Jet said, heading towards the door. "You got the potion, Droy?"

"Yeah," the other boy answered, holding a glass vial of a black liquid.

Natsu tried to keep his eyes open and struggled to his feet. "W-Wait… Stop…"

His eyes then closed and he fell back immediately. Jet and Droy shared one last look, knowing there was no going back now. With nervous hearts, they ventured off into the night, ready to kill the beast.

* * *

 **AN:** Only a couple chapters left of this arc! After that the storybook is all done! :D

Thank you to the patient reviewers: **ChiliR612, SSXIX, Shadow Joestar, narutoyaoifan, MasterGildarts, Juvia is my spirit animal, stranger1999, FlyingFlapjack, Guest, Lkityan02, animefan393939, Galp, Nalulove, NaluPrincess, naluloverr, Lunahartz, ThayetJade, o0vicarious-living0o.**


	84. Chapter 84

**AN:** WHAAAT!? TWO UPDATES WITHIN A WEEK!? COULD I PERHAPS HAVE MY SHIT TOGETHER FINALLY!? LMAO WHO KNOWS!

Anyways, this is pretty much the last chapter of the beauty and the beast arc! The next chapter will pretty much be the resolution! After that, the storybook is all complete! :D I FEEL LIKE I AM MAKING SO MUCH PROGRESS WITH THE STORY NOW THAT THEY FINALLY ARE FINISHING THE STORYBOOK! ANYWAYS ENJOY THE CHAPTER HOPEFULLY!

* * *

Chapter 84

Sleeping Curse

Levy's heart jumped in her chest with each step, her palms sweating. After combing her hair for nearly an hour- something she usually wouldn't waste more than five minutes doing- the girl knew that she needed to clear her head. Unfortunately, that was seeming to be impossible as thoughts from last night replayed in her head.

 _Both of their eyes started to close with anticipation, their breaths fanning each other faces. And as the sun began to set, painting the room a vivid shade of orange, their lips finally met._

 _Levy's eyes were heavy as she pulled away, her body light as a feather. Every inch of her felt like it was set on fire from the simple contact. Opening her eyes and finally meeting Gajeel's gaze, the girl's face grew red as a tomato and she shoved him away._

 _"W-What are you doing!?" she screeched, backing away and covering her scorching cheeks with her hands._

 _Gajeel was dumbstruck, watching as Levy paced back and forth, muttering to herself. Had he read the air wrong? Did he misunderstand her feelings? The boy shook his head. No, that wasn't it._

 _"Oi, stop your muttering," Gajeel said, crossing his arms. He knew that she was just embarrassed. Not that he could really blame her. His cheeks were equally red. "It's not that big of a deal, it was just a-"_

 _"Not that big of a deal!?" Levy cried, whirling to face him._

 _"Well, yeah. It was just a kiss."_

 _"Just a kiss?" Levy balled her hands into fists. Did he actually mean that? Was he really the type of person to be so nonchalant about the matter? Did it not mean anything to him? With those thoughts plaguing her mind, the girl pushed past Gajeel, marching out of the room. Tears blurred her vision but she blinked them back._

 _Once she made it to her room, Levy slammed the door shut behind her and crawled into bed, where she stayed the rest of the night._

Thinking back, Levy had a feeling that she might have overreacted. Still, she cursed Gajeel in her mind for calling their kiss _just a kiss._ It was much more than a simple kiss to her. It was her first kiss, to be exact. It was a declaration of her feelings. She poured all of the emotion she could into it to make sure he knew what she wanted. She wanted _him._

Reaching the library, Levy scanned the shelves for a book that stood out to her. Finding one she thought looked interesting, she plucked it off the shelf and brought it with her to the only table in the room. Doing what she did best, the girl submerged herself in her reading, the words distracting her from the debacle of the night before.

* * *

Hours passed by and Levy had only managed to finish one book.

" _My Gale-Force reading glasses would really come in handy right about now,"_ she thought, placing the book carefully back on its respective shelf.

She began to look for another book to distract herself with when the door creaked open. Turning, Levy's face exploded with color as her eyes washed over Gajeel, who had his hands shoved in his pockets as he approached her. His cheeks were pink and his eyes were on the floor.

"You didn't come for breakfast," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I'm not hungry," Levy replied, a sharp edge to her words. Of course, her body betrayed her, her stomach growling. Gajeel smirked, eliciting a smack to the arm from the petite girl. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"No, but you wanted to."

"Yeah, but not about that," Gajeel said, his face growing more serious and less teasing. The pink tint to his cheeks deepened as he continued, "We need to talk about last night."

Breathing a heavy sigh, Levy nodded her head. She knew the conversation was bound to happen eventually. "Yeah, you're right."

Gajeel nodded, glad that she was willing to talk. "So, why did you get all angry and storm out?"

Levy stared at the boy quizzically, her anger returning. "Are you serious?" Seeing the boy shrug his shoulders, confused, the girl scoffed and went to push past him again, when all of the sudden, Gajeel's demeanor changed. His face was scrunched in anger as he grabbed her wrist, dragging her out of the library and to her room.

"Gajeel? What's wrong?" Levy asked, her heart racing. Though this time, it was out of fear.

" _They're_ here," Gajeel answered. He then closed the door, leaving her alone in the room. And for the first time in a while, she heard the door lock.

* * *

"Are you ready, Droy?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah. On three. One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

Jet and Droy shot down the door, a loud clanking noise following after. There was no turning back now. Not after they had made that entrance.

"Let's go find Levy!" Jet said, rushing through the halls and leading the way. He didn't know where he was going yet, but he knew he had to act fast. Turning a corner, he just barely managed to dodge the hilt of a sword that came flying at him, crashing into the wall.

Jet clicked his tongue in annoyance, finding the beast's henchman, the exceed, blocking his path.

"Leave," Lily demanded. "Leave before Gajeel finds you."

"We aren't scared of Gajeel!" Jet shot back. "Get out of the way! We're here to save Levy! Where is she!?"

Lily sighed, knowing the two weren't going to heed his warnings. "You're going to regret this." He took a step forward, only to find roots tangling up his leg.

Droy stepped forward, a serious look on his face. "Go, Jet! Find Levy, I'll handle this one."

Jet nodded his appreciation before bolting out of there, his magic propelling him forward. With no clear destination in mind, the boy hoped that he would sense a trace of Levy's magical power. Even though he was no dragon slayer like Natsu was, he could still sense other mages' magic if they were close enough.

"Levy! Where are you!?" he shouted at the top of his lungs. " _Please be alright…"_

* * *

Levy's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she heard Jet's voice. It was faint, but she could recognize that voice anywhere. The girl's legs trembled beneath her and tears pricked her eyes.

"J-Jet… Droy must be here too," she breathed out. "They came to save me…"

And while that should've filled her heart with joy, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

Levy wanted to see her two best friends and tell them she was alright. She wanted to make sure they were safe and hang out with them as she had before. However, things were different now. Her relationship with Gajeel, as premature as it may have been, was something she was excited about. Something she couldn't give up on yet.

" _They're going to try to hurt him,"_ Levy realized with a gasp. " _What do I do? They're going to hurt each other!"_

Living a life that had both her old friends and her new friends seemed impossible. There was no way Jet and Droy would forgive Gajeel- not that she particularly blamed them.

" _What do I do?"_

She banged on the door.

 _"What do I do?"_

There was no response. Gajeel had begun his search for them.

" _What do I do?"_

There was a loud bang from across the mansion, and Levy found her hand moving on its own. Scribbling into the air, the girl had created a small canon and pointed it towards the door. With a frantically beating heart, she shot the door down and began her sprint towards the sounds of the others.

She didn't know what she was going to do yet, but she knew that she couldn't let anyone get hurt over her.

 _"Everyone, please wait for me!"_

* * *

Meanwhile in Tulle, Lucy's eyes fluttered open. With a groan, the blonde lifted her head from the table, noting how heavy it felt. Taking in her surroundings, she gasped when she found Happy and Natsu passed out, and her memories came rushing back to her.

"Jet and Droy did this!" Lucy exclaimed, rushing to the other side of the table. Checking her friends' pulses, she was relieved to find that they were still alive, just in a deep slumber. She tried shaking them awake, to no avail.

" _Those idiots! They're going to charge at Gajeel by themselves! And why the hell did they have to poison us!? Jeez, someone has to stop them!"_ Lucy grabbed Natsu by the shoulders and shouted in his ear, "Wake up, Natsu!"

With a heavy sigh, she gave up trying to wake them up. " _Wait, how am I the first one to wake up? Happy passed out first, shouldn't he have woken up first as well? Is it because I'm the savior?"_

Lucy shook her head. " _Now isn't the time to be wondering about these things. I have to go find Jet and Droy before they do anything too rash."_

So, the girl dashed out of the library and towards the familiar path towards the steel house in the woods.

* * *

Gajeel stalked through his home, following the familiar scent of the man he had beaten to a pulp before. They were trying to steal back the princess from the dragon, and he was not going to go easy on them just because they were her friends.

Stopping in his tracks, Gajeel waited for Jet to come to him. And sure enough, within a blink of an eye, Jet was standing in front of him, a sour look on his face.

"You…" the orange-haired boy ground out. "Where's Levy!?"

"None of your damn business," Gajeel replied. "Get lost, before I lock your sorry ass up again."

Jet's glare harshened as he dug into his pocket and retrieved a vial. It was filled with a glowing blue liquid. Popping the cap off, he downed all of the vial's contents. Magical power began to surge through him, thickening the air around him.

"I'm nothing like I was before," Jet said, crouching down and getting ready to pounce.

Gajeel scoffed. "What? You gotta resort to using magical potions to beat me? Pathetic."

"I don't care what I have to resort to as long as I save Levy. Get ready, Gajeel!"

Before Gajeel could even take another breath, Jet was behind him, kicking him in the back. Gajeel was sent flying forward, crashing into the wall and creating a crater in it. The air was knocked out of him, and he couldn't help but cough up blood.

" _Not only is he faster, he's stronger now, too,"_ he thought, wiping the blood away from his mouth. With a crooked grin, he got back up to his feet and cracked his knuckles. "This is gonna be interesting! Gihi!"

Hoping to land a hit on Jet before he could charge, Gajeel sent a roar of asphalt his way. To his disappointment, Jet was faster than he anticipated, avoiding with ease and counterattacking with another kick, this time to his side.

Gajeel hardened his body, forced to play defense. As Jet seemingly appeared out of nowhere to his side, the dragon slayer could only take hit after hit.

" _Focus, Gajeel!"_ he thought with a grimace as Jet's attacks were starting to crack his iron scales. He poured all of his concentration into smelling for his enemy. Following his scent, he used it to predict where Jet was going to attack next. Dodging by a hair, he reached out and grabbed hold of the other boy's wrist.

"Gihi. You may be faster, but I'm stronger. I've got you now, you little fly," Gajeel said, tightening his grip. "Iron Dragon's Sword!"

Jet grimaced, watching as Gajeel's arm transformed into a large, jagged blade. Knowing he would be done for if he was hit by that, he tried to squirm out of the dragon slayer's hold, to no avail. Even with the elixir, Gajeel's physical strength outshined his.

Gajeel smirked as he propelled his arm forwards, glad to finally put an end to the fight.

"Gajeel, stop!"

Inches away from Jet's face, Gajeel paused his attack and turned his head towards the source of the shrill cry. There Levy stood, tears dripping down her face as she glared at either him or Jet. He wasn't sure who yet.

"Both of you, stop it!" Levy demanded, marching up to them.

"L-Levy," Jet breathed out. His eyes immediately watered, and he felt his strength pour out of his body out of tremendous relief. "Thank Mavis you're alright."

The girl smiled at her friend and nodded. "I'm perfectly fine. Gajeel has been treating me well."

With that, Jet's demeanor changed.

"Treating you well?" he repeated, his face morphing to one of disbelief. "What do you mean? This beast locked you up against your will! He hurt you in front of all of us!"

"I know, but he's changed!"

"Levy, what are you talking about!? Do you not remember what this monster did!?"

"Don't call him that, Jet! He's not a monster!"

Jet's anger boiled within him and he whirled around to face Gajeel. "What did you do to her!? Did you erase her memories? Or brainwash her?"

"Shut the hell up," Gajeel replied, never taking his eyes off of the enemy. "I didn't do no such thing."

"Liar!" Jet dashed towards Gajeel, throwing a fist forward only for it to crash into a pillow that appeared out of nowhere. Recognizing the magic, he turned towards Levy.

"Don't hurt him," the girl said, her voice cracking. "I don't want any of you getting hurt. Please."

"It doesn't have to hurt," Jet replied. He dug into his pocked at grabbed another vial. This one was filled with a deep, red liquid. There was an ominous vibe around the potion. It definitely wasn't anything good. "All we have to do is put him to sleep."

Levy's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Wait, don't tell me… Did you guys make a sleeping curse potion?"

"Yes. It took us a while to perfect it. Even now, I'm not sure if it'll last for eternity like it's meant to. But if we can incapacitate him for just a few minutes, we can end all of this, Levy!"

Levy swallowed thickly, staring at the potion. She glanced at Gajeel, finding that he was less riled up than before. Perhaps it was because she called out for him to not hurt Jet. He knew that Jet was important to her, so he held himself back. To think that Gajeel would be more rational than Jet was unbelievable.

Taking deep breaths, Levy steeled her resolve and took steady steps towards Jet. Stopping in front of him, the girl grabbed the vial out of his hand.

"Things have changed, Jet. Listen to me," she said calmly. "Over the time of my stay here, Gajeel and I have grown closer. He isn't the same person that did all those horrible things. He's just a boy with a rough exterior that's a total softie on the inside. We've shared things about each other and got to know each other." Levy turned towards Gajeel and gave a warm smile. "In the short time of my being here, I fell in love with Gajeel."

Jet winced at Levy's words, his heart shattering into a million pieces. With his immense sadness also came anger. Anger towards Gajeel. What had he done to Levy to make her act like this? Surely he had brainwashed her somehow.

With tears brimming her eyes and a gentle smile on her face, Levy continued, "I love Gajeel, and even though he's an asshole and sucks at showing it sometimes, I truly believe that he loves me, too. I have faith in him. So much so, that I'm willing to do this."

Levy quickly unscrewed the cap to the vial and chugged the red liquid.

"Levy!" Jet and Gajeel cried out.

The blue-haired girl simply smiled at her companions before her head started to feel heavy. Her eyes drooped closed and she immediately lost all consciousness. Gajeel dashed forward and caught her just in time before she could hit the floor.

"You _idiot!"_ Gajeel shouted, his voice loud enough to shake the walls with his roar. Gently placing Levy on the floor, he rose to his feet and marched towards Jet, who was slumped on the floor in agony over what his friend had done. Grabbing the other boy by the collar, Gajeel formed another iron sword with his arm. "I should've done this when I had the fucking chance." With anger overtaking him, Gajeel thrust the sword towards Jet once again.

"Taurus!"

A bright glow illuminated the room and a sharp, clanking noise sounded in the room as Gajeel's sword clashed with Taurus' axe. Jogging up to them, Lucy sighed in relief, panting from her long run.

"Thank god I made it in time," she said, fanning herself.

"What do you mean you made it in time?" Gajeel asked, gritting his teeth. "You're too late! Look at what he did to Levy!"

"You were the one that was supposed to drink the potion!" Jet shot back, tears pooling his eyes.

"Alright, alright. Just calm down," Lucy ordered, walking towards Levy. She crouched besides the other girl, studying her. She was familiar with this curse by now. "This is a sleeping curse, right?"

"Yeah," Jet answered, guilt ebbing away at him. "This is a hundred times more powerful than what we gave you guys."

"Thanks for that, by the way. That was pleasant. Anyways, I know how to wake her up."

"What?" Gajeel asked with a gasp. "You do?"

"Yep. It's pretty simple. But I can't be the one to do it. What we need is true love's kiss to wake her up." Before Gajeel could take a step towards Levy, Lucy turned towards Jet. "Well, Jet? Care to give it a try?"

"What? Him!?" Gajeel shouted in fury. "It's his fault that Levy is like this in the first place! Besides, I'm the one Levy-!"

"You both are to blame for this," Lucy interrupted, glaring at the dragon slayer. Turning back towards Jet, she found him frowning. "What's the matter, Jet? Not going to try?"

The boy formed tight fists with his hands. "I…"

"Come on, do it. You were so sure earlier that Levy had to have been brainwashed and didn't truly love Gajeel, right? Even though she said so herself. Clearly you know her better than she knows herself, am I right?"

Jet bit his lower lip in anger and screwed his eyes shut. He knew. Deep down he had always known. He wasn't the one for Levy. Neither was Droy. Even before Gajeel came along, he knew that he would never be able to obtain her heart.

Still, he would regret not trying.

Crouching beside the unconscious girl, Jet swallowed thickly before leaning towards her. Gajeel scoffed and turned his back towards them, knowing that if he watched, he would go ballistic. Jet's lips brushed against Levy's in a soft kiss, and he prayed that her eyes would open. He prayed that his feelings would be reciprocated.

Lifeless lips were all he felt.

Tears welling in his eyes once again, Jet pulled away. He had lost.

Lucy frowned, watching the boy. His heart was broken, and she knew that it would take weeks, maybe even months or years to begin to mend itself back together.

"Now you know how she feels towards you," Lucy said softly. She didn't want to trample over his feelings, but knew that the first step towards a happy ending for everyone was Jet and Droy moving on. "But that doesn't mean she doesn't care about you. You and Droy are her dearest friends. You've been together for years. Would you really be wiling to let all of that go just because she doesn't love you in the same way?"

Jet buried his face in his sleeve as he wept. "N-No, I wouldn't," he choked out.

"You have to accept that Levy can make decisions of her own. Nobody chooses who they fall in love with. Levy-chan just wants to be happy with all of you, so you all need to cool it. Levy deserves to be happy with both her friends and the guy she loves. Do I make myself clear?"

Jet and Gajeel stared each other down. They were clearly not fond of the thought of being in each other's lives. They still held dislike towards the other, but they were leaning towards tolerance.

"Yeah, yeah. We get it, bunny girl," Gajeel muttered.

"Don't call me that," Lucy replied with a sigh. "Now go. Wake her up."

Gajeel nodded and knelt beside Levy. Gently cupping her head, he leaned towards her. Soon enough, their lips met and he screwed his eyes together, pouring every bit of emotion he had into the kiss.

" _Please wake up."_

Levy's eyes slowly fluttered open and she woke with a sharp inhale of breath. Bolting into a sitting position, the girl accidentally bumped heads with Gajeel, sending him flying back on the floor.

"G-Gajeel!?" she cried out, rubbing her head.

"Damn, Shrimp! Why do you have to have such a hard head!?" he replied.

Levy ignored his remark, flinging herself towards him. Wrapping her arms around him, she brought him towards her and crashed her lips upon his. Gajeel relaxed into the kiss, snaking his arms around her and pulling her even closer.

When they finally pulled away, Gajeel glared at her. "Don't scare me like that again, idiot."

"You're the real idiot, stupid," Levy replied, tears of mirth pricking her eyes. Gajeel had woken her up from a sleeping curse with true love's kiss. He loved her. Nothing made her more ecstatic.

Hearing someone clear their throat, Levy turned towards Lucy, who was standing beside a solemn Jet. Levy's heart dropped seeing her friend so miserable looking. Still, honesty was the only way to go about it.

Before, she would beat around the bush and avoid any direct confession of Jet or Droy's love for her. She knew how they felt but had them try to bottle it up- not that they were any good at it. It seemed her approach only made things worse.

"I'm so sorry, Jet," Levy said, her stomach curling with anxiety. Was she going to lose one of her closest friends?

Jet gave a weak smile, one everyone could see straight through. "I-It's fine. I've known from the start that I wasn't the one for you. I guess I was just hoping things would change…"

"You're one of my dearest friends. I don't ever want to lose you. Our friendship means so much to me."

"It means a lot to me too!" Jet replied, rushing over towards Levy. He wrapped her in a hug, and the two cried in each other's arms. "I am sorry I didn't listen to you! Because of my stupidity, you were-"

"Don't even apologize!" Levy assured, wiping the tears from her eyes. "All I care about is our friendship! What happened with the potion is water under the bridge!"

The two shared a warm smile and hugged once more. Even though Jet felt like he would never find love again, he was just happy that he had Levy in his life at all. And if Gajeel had managed to wake her up, it meant that he truly loved her. He would have to get used to the other boy's presence. Though, he still had some redeeming to do.

But for now, the group relished in the well-deserved peace.

* * *

 **AN:** How did you guys like the chapter? If you're wondering about why Levy was so upset with Gajeel in the beginning, it's because she was so nervous about their kiss and he acted nonchalant to help her feel better. Only, that backfired because it made it seem like he didn't care. And based off of how Levy acted in the Tenrou arc, I have this head canon that she's really sensitive lol.

 **DaddyDragneel:** Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're liking the story still! :D In regards to whether or not we'll have more consistent updates from now on, I want to say yes. I do. I can't 100% guarantee it'll happen but I don't think it'll take me months to update like it has been! Wish me luck! :'D

Anyways, thank you to those that reviewed: **Shadow Joestar, Holly Dragneel, Nalulove(x3), narutoyaoifan, MasterGildarts, stranger1999, KitKat2648, ChiliR612, DaddyDragneel, animefan393939, Neverendingfairytail, Guest, Soul Eater Maka(x4), Lunahartz.**


	85. Chapter 85

**AN:** Hi guys! Look at this quick update! :D I think it's because I'm very excited for the next arc. I've been dying to write it since before I even started writing this story lol. Anyways, I haven't done a QOTD in a while so here it is! What is your favorite nalu fanfic of all time? I'm asking because I could use some nalu recs at the moment lol. :) Anyways, enjoy! :D

* * *

Chapter 85

The Beginning of the End

"We should be getting back soon," Lucy said, dusting herself off. She had been taking a breather after running through the woods to get to the house in time to stop Gajeel from killing Jet. With a sigh, she continued, "I want to check up on Natsu and Happy. I bet they're still asleep."

"I'm sorry about that again," Jet replied, a frown spreading over his face as he rubbed the back of his head. "Droy and I really shouldn't have done that to you guys. Especially when you were just trying to help."

Lucy gave the boy a reassuring grin. "Don't worry about it. I don't hold grudges, it's not my style. Though, you do need to make sure you apologize to Natsu and Happy too."

"Will do."

Gajeel's stomach churned anxiously as he glanced towards Levy. Now that her friends were here, was she planning on going back with them? It made sense if she did. She was a prisoner here, after all. Then again, after true love's kiss had woken her up, perhaps she would choose to stay with him.

There was a sudden explosion sound coming from the opposite side of the house.

"Oh no," Jet said, face-palming. "I forgot about Droy. He's fighting the exceed as we speak."

"We need to stop them from fighting!" Levy replied in concern.

With that, the group ran towards the commotion. When they arrived, they were surprised to find Droy sprawled over the floor while Lily stood victorious to the side.

"Idiot lost to a cat," Jet muttered to himself with a sigh.

"Oi, Lily ain't just a cat," Gajeel retorted. "Besides, he could beat you too if he wanted."

Before the two boys could start another fight, Levy rushed past them and dropped by Droy's side. Picking his head up, the girl checked to make sure he was alright. Luckily, Lily was far more merciful than his owner and left only minor injuries.

"Droy, wake up," Levy called out to her friend. She was so happy to see her dear friends again, she couldn't help the tears that sprang in her eyes.

In seconds, the boy's eyes blinked open and he drank in the sight of Levy. Immediately, he became a blubbering mess, pulling Levy in for a tight hug. In all the time she had known him, he was by far one of the best huggers.

"Levy! You're safe!" Droy exclaimed. "Jet saved you!"

"Jet didn't save me, actually," Levy corrected with a chuckle. "It's a long story, but Gajeel isn't the enemy anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Levy frowned, sad that she was going to have to deliver the hard news once again. "Gajeel and I have fallen in love since I've been here. I drank the potion that you guys made for Gajeel, and he woke me up. I'm aware of your feelings for me and I'm sorry, I just don't feel the same. I love you and you're one of my dearest friends, please don't hate me for this."

Droy gave a kind smile. "I could never hate you, Levy. Yeah, it hurts. But all I want is for you to be happy."

Lucy smiled on the sidelines as she watched the two hug. Droy was clearly taking the news better than Jet had.

"Alright, we should probably head back to check on Natsu and Happy now," she said. Even though she knew the sleeping potion Jet and Droy had used on them was far weaker than the one they intended for Gajeel, she still wanted to be extra sure they were alright.

Everyone turned towards Levy, all wondering what she was going to do now. Gajeel in particular shoved his hands on the pocket and turned a hard gaze onto the floor so that she wouldn't see his face. He didn't want to influence her decision in any way and he believed that if she saw the pain that lingered in his eyes from the thought of her leaving, she would stay out of pity.

Levy's lips curled downwards into a frown as she thought about her possible futures. On the one hand, she could go back with Jet and Droy to the library and visit Gajeel and Lily occasionally, thus leading to less time spent with her true love. On the other, she could stay with Gajeel and Lily and be away from her best friends. It was a hard decision that the girl didn't want to make yet, but she knew she couldn't avoid it forever. With a sigh, she turned to face Gajeel, walking up to him.

"I know that you are my true love, but I want to take this slow," Levy said with a frown. "I think that to really start us off on the right course, we should have a fresh start. A normal one, at that."

Gajeel sighed, upset but understanding. "It's alright, I get it. 'Sides, your life is in Tulle. You have your friends, your job and all. And it's not like I could move into town without starting angry mobs… Will you visit?"

The girl gave a warm smile, glad that he wanted her to visit. "Of course. I know, how about I stay here weekends?"

Gajeel grinned. "Sounds good to me."

Lucy cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Natsu and Happy?"

Levy giggled. "Alright, Lu-chan. Let's go see your boyfriend now." Seeing her blonde friend blush, the girl burst into a fit of laughter. Then, she turned towards Gajeel and Levy, grinning brightly at them. "I'll see you guys this weekend then, okay?"

Lily nodded and smiled at her. "See you then, Levy."

"Later, Shrimp," Gajeel added with a smirk.

Levy gave them one last smile and a cheerful wave before following the rest of the group out of the home that she had grown used to over her stay. At first, it was nothing more than a steel prison she wanted to escape from. She plotted running away and never returning. Now, the house was a home to her. One she couldn't wait to return to on the weekend.

* * *

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as the clock tower of Tulle came into view. The group had been running for over two hours, only taking breaks when necessary. Rushing through town and reaching the library, they hurried to the dining room to find Natsu and Happy still asleep.

"Just how strong was the potion you gave us?" Lucy asked, turning towards Jet and Droy.

The former shrugged. "We spent days trying to perfect the potion, even testing it on ourselves. They should be waking up any moment now."

"Why did you wake up so much earlier, Lu-chan?" Levy questioned.

"I'm not really sure myself," the blonde answered. Cupping her chin, she mused, "Maybe because I'm the savior, the effect of the potion wore off because I needed to reach you guys."

"The savior?" Levy questioned, though in truth she already knew what the other girl was referring to.

Lucy gasped and covered her mouth. Knowing there was no way of avoiding an explanation, the girl sighed. "I may or may not be the savior to the curse King Heartfilia enacted." Reaching towards Happy, she fished inside of his knapsack and retrieved the storybook. Flipping to the correct page, she landed on the story of Beauty and the Beast, turning it to face the trio. "This is a storybook about real people from this world."

"This world?" Levy asked. She knew all about the Lost Princess' circumstance. She was teleported to another world. This conversation was only confirming everything for her. " _She referred to her own father as King Heartfilia. Now I know for sure she doesn't know who she really is."_

"Yeah. You probably won't believe me, but I'm not from this world."

"Is that so?"

"Yep. And I apparently have this ability to open portals to other worlds, but I haven't figured out how to control it yet. The book says that I'm not able to return to my world until I finish granting everyone happy endings here."

"Happy endings?"

Lucy nodded, gesturing towards the book. "Like I said, these stories are based on people here. You guys actually have your own story…"

The trio shared a curious glance before turning their gazes towards the book. Their eyes scanned the pages, shocked to find that their lives were actually documented.

Lucy grabbed the book. "The story was much different before. It actually ended horribly. That ending would've happened if I didn't help. The book is magical though, so it changes the endings to the correct ones once everything is resolved."

"What happened in the original ending?" Droy asked, curious.

Lucy chuckled awkwardly. "Well, you and Jet become crazy obsessed with Levy-chan, you shoot Gajeel, and you lock Levy-chan up."

The two stood aghast, unable to believe that they would ever do such a thing.

Lucy, noticing their guilt, tried to clear the air. "But it's not your fault! It's actually the curse's doing! See, we've come to realize that over time, the curse will start to darken people's hearts, which is why I needed to hurry up and finish the storybook."

"Wait, so you knew that I was going to get captured?" Levy questioned.

Lucy winced at the question. "Funny story… It was actually my idea to let you get captured."

"What!?"

"I'm sorry, Levy-chan! But you were scared of Gajeel! So I knew that if I told you upfront about the storybook, you wouldn't have believed me! You needed to fall in love with him for yourself, so I needed you to have the opportunity to do so!"

"You're cunning, Lu-chan. Alright, I forgive you," Levy said, smiling at her friend. Besides, Lucy wasn't the only one hiding something. Now that everything had been resolved, it was time to do what she had wanted from the start. It was time to tell Lucy who she really was.

Levy knew that this was going to be a risky task. Telling Lucy of her own identity would no doubt put the girl's mind in turmoil. She didn't want to put her friend through something like that but she knew that the other girl deserved to know the truth. If she were in her shoes, she would want to know, after all.

"Lu-chan…" Levy began, stepping towards the blonde. Her lips drooped into a frown.

"What is it?" Lucy asked. She could see the concern etched in the other girl's face.

"I have something I need to tell you."

"What is this about?"

"It's about _you,_ actually. The truth is… The truth is you are-"

A loud yawn interrupted Levy, prompting the group to turn towards Natsu and Happy. Natsu sat up with a groan, clutching his head.

"What the hell was that all about?" he asked. Then, his memories hit him like a brick. "Jet! Droy! You bastards!"

"E-Ehh, sorry about that," the former called out. They hoped that the dragon slayer would be as forgiving as his girlfriend was.

Natsu jumped, turning towards them and surprised to find the whole gang there. His eyes were immediately drawn towards Lucy, instinctively glazing over her body to make sure that she was unharmed. Then, he mustered an annoyed glare towards Jet and Droy, who were nervously chuckling.

"What the hell was that for, you jerks!?" Natsu shouted, marching around and going on a tirade.

"We're sorry! We just really wanted to save Levy!"

"Well you didn't have to poison us!"

"A-Aye…" Everyone turned towards Happy, finding him sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "My head feels heavy now…"

"Happy!" Lucy cried, glad the cat was alright. She grabbed him and squished him against her chest in a tight hug.

"Oi," Natsu called out to the girl, feigning annoyance. "Why does Happy get a hug and I don't? I was put to sleep too, you know."

Lucy smirked at him and answered, "That's because the first thing you did when you woke up was start yelling."

The two started bickering with each other, only stopping when Droy spoke.

"What are you guys going to do now?" he asked. "Now that the storybook is finished. Are you going to stay here?"

Natsu and Happy gaped at Lucy. "The book is finished!?"

"Yep! This was our last story and I already checked to make sure it had a happy ending! We're all set!"

"That means we can finally start to have some fun!" Natsu exclaimed, slinging his arms around his two partners.

"Aye!" Happy replied. "What should we do first?"

"We should probably rest up first," Lucy answered. "I'm exhausted after running back and forth. Besides, we're inside a library full of books. After all the work we've been putting in, I deserve to read all the books I want!"

Levy gasped and clasped her hands together, her eyes shining brightly. "If that's the case, let's go then, Lu-chan! I can recommend a bunch of books!"

"Okay!"

Levy grabbed Lucy's wrist and dragged her eagerly out of the room, already having forgotten about telling the other girl about her identity.

Natsu smiled as he watched Lucy excitedly follow Levy. She was right, she did deserve a break and he was glad to see her so happy. Glancing towards the story book, the boy picked it up fondly and put it back in Happy's backpack for safe keeping. Even though sticking around with Lucy seemed like a tedious task at first, it ended up being the best decision he had ever made. And despite the fact that the stories were long, complicated, and downright annoying sometimes, it was thanks to the storybook that he had ended up on this crazy adventure with Lucy.

So, Natsu gave one last smile towards the book before closing the backpack, ready to start their newest adventure together.

Little did they know at the time that they had forgotten about a certain story.

* * *

 **AN:** So after this chapter we've got a few fillers! A couple of them will be in Tulle while they're with Levy and the others will be by themselves again so we can catch up on the nalu after the overload of gajevy lol.

And just a reminder, even though this is sorta kinda the end of the storybook missions, that doesn't mean that this story is ending soon! I'm positive this story will have over 100 chapters so we still got some time left! :)

As always, thank you so much to the wonderful reviewers: **narutoyaoifan, MasterGildarts, Kippysaurus(x a bunch thank you so much), Shadow Joestar, ChiliR612, Guest, naluloverr, Guest, animefan393939, Soul Eater Maka, DaddyDragneel.**


	86. Chapter 86

**AN:** Hello everyone! It's been a while, but I'm officially out of school and almost done with my job, so I should have more time to write! I've even been working on another certain story. ;) Well, onwards with the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 86

A Friend's Resolve

Natsu's eyes blinked open that morning and he gave a loud yawn as he sat up into a slouched position. Dozing softly beside him, Lucy turned in her sleep without waking up, hugging Happy to her chest. The boy gave a toothy grin, glad that they were finished with the storybook. Now, he didn't have to rush to wake her up. He could simply enjoy the peaceful view.

Fingers moving on their own, they brushed against Lucy's cheeks, pushing a lock of gold hair behind her face. Everything about the girl was soft; her skin, her hair, her eyes. Even the girl's heart was soft.

With a smile, Natsu leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. Lucy twitched from the touch before her eyes fluttered open. Warmth pooled in her cheeks as her boyfriend pulled away and gave her a wide grin.

"Morning, Luce," he whispered so as not to wake up Happy. He ran his fingers through her hair.

"Good morning," she replied.

"What's the plan for today?"

"Levy-chan and I are going to go shopping! I could use more winter clothes!"

Natsu gave a pout. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Hang out with Happy," Lucy answsered with a smile. "It's been a while since you two had a day to yourselves."

"I guess you're right. Maybe we can go fishing!"

Happy suddenly jolted into a sitting position, his eyes wide while drool dripped from his mouth. "Did someone say fishing?"

Natsu cackled while Lucy shook her head with a sigh. Leave it to him to wake up from the word 'fishing.' With a stretch, the blonde dragged herself out of bed to get ready. She grabbed a change of clothes and her essentials, walking to the bathroom down the hall. While Levy was with Gajeel, the three had been staying in her room. But now that she was back, they stayed in the cramped guest room that was far from everyone else's rooms, along with the bathroom.

After a long shower, Lucy got dressed into one of the very few winter outfits she had: black leggings, a wool sweater, and a pink coat. Perhaps it was only because they were in Tulle, but the air had been growing more frigid lately and the skies were gray rather than blue.

Once finished getting ready, Lucy went downstairs to find everyone eating breakfast. Of course, Natsu and Happy were practically shoving food down their throats while Levy, Jet, and Droy watched in disgust.

When they saw Lucy, they greeted her and immediately set up a plate.

"How long do you guys plan on staying here?" Droy questioned. As much as he liked their new company, he wasn't sure they could continue to provide food for Natsu much longer. The guy was like an animal.

"I'm not sure," Lucy answered. "We can't stay too long. There's still something we have to do."

"What do you mean?" Happy asked with an arched brow. "We already finished the storybook. We can do whatever we want now!"

"Yeah, we finished the storybook to break the curse that King Heartfilia casted. But what if he just casts another one? I'm sure he's not too happy about his curse being broken. That is, if he knows about it. But once he does find out, it can't be hard for him to do it again. We need to make sure that he never tries to pull this crap again because I might not end up being the savior again. Who knows how long it'll take for the next savior to arrive and save everything?"

Natsu tensed, dropping his fork onto his plate. He knew where this was heading, and he definitely didn't like it…

"I need to talk to the King," Lucy stated, her brown eyes gleaming with her resolve. "Unless we talk some sense into him, there's a likely chance that he'll just do this again. We need to head back to Crocus."

Levy's eyes widened as she remembered yet again what she was going to tell her friend. "Lu-chan! I almost forgot to tell you!"

"Huh? Tell me what?"

"I think I know why you're the savior to the curse!"

Natsu and Happy shared a quick, distraught glance. So Levy knew, huh? It made sense. After all, the petite girl was known for her vast knowledge, surely she stumbled upon readings of the royal couple before.

Natsu's body broke out in a cold sweat and his heart felt like it was going to leap out of his chest, but not in the good way. No, he was terrified. Terrified of what would happen if Levy told Lucy the secret that he had been hiding from her.

Desperate, Natsu suddenly burst into a fit of forced cackles and leapt across the table, tackling Jet. Everyone gasped and watched as fire burst out of his mouth with each laugh.

"Fight me, Jet!" Natsu shouted. "I never did pay you back for what you did!"

"Natsu!? Get the hell off of me!" Jet replied, punching the dragon slayer in the face. With that, a brawl erupted, forcing the others to sigh as they watched.

Levy frowned and cupped her chin as she watched Natsu fight against Jet. The fight wasn't intense like it had been with Gajeel. It was a friendly match, nothing to worry about, but something felt off. Glancing towards Happy, she found that he had a heavy frown on his face, his ears and tail drooping. He seemed sad, scared even.

Levy's eyes widened and her mouth parted.

" _Wait… Could it be that they know who Lucy is and are hiding it from her?"_ she thought. Why else would Natsu have randomly started a fight when she was about to say something clearly important? Or why he and Happy were sweating? It was obvious they were hiding something, and she was going to find out what that something was.

"Ugh, boys," Lucy groaned. "Let's go, Levy-chan. They'll probably be at this for hours."

Levy nodded wordlessly, following Lucy out the door. She gave one last look towards Natsu, wondering why on Earthland he would keep something to serious from Lucy. He loved her, didn't he?

" _I'll ask him about it tonight."_

Once the girls were gone, Natsu gave Jet one last punch before sitting up, his legs crossed beneath him while a frown rested on his face. Hiding Lucy's identity from her was proving to be difficult. Just about everyone knew what the late Queen looked like, and it didn't help that her daughter just happened to have a striking resemblance to her. Not to mention the fact that Lucy was adamant on going to Crocus to talk to the King. He had a feeling that the truth was going to reveal itself one day, no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

Standing up, Natsu glanced at Happy and gave him a weak grin. "Wanna go fishing now, buddy?"

Happy's frown only grew but he nodded. "Aye…"

With that, the two were out the door, solemnly heading towards town to buy the essentials. There, they bought cheap fishing rods and bait. Then, they headed towards the forest towards a large, isolated lake. They weren't sure what luck they were going to have catching any fish, but they didn't mind. Happy was too glum about Lucy to care and Natsu mainly liked the peace that the hobby had to offer.

They sat in a thick silence, both mulling over their thoughts. Guilt ebbed at them like the tip of a sword prodding their backs. It followed them around and until they told the truth, it would continue to do so.

"Hey, Natsu…" Happy said.

"What is it, buddy?" the boy replied, though he had a fairly good idea as to what it was.

"I don't like this… I don't like keeping this secret from Lucy…"

"I know, buddy."

"We have to tell her. We can't keep it hidden forever."

Natsu sighed and turned his gaze towards the cloudy sky. The sky was like his emotions at the moment, gloomy and meek.

"You're right," he said, his throat constricting as he struggled to form his next words. "I'm just scared, Happy. I… I can't live without her. I can't risk losing her."

"I don't want to lose her either, Natsu," Happy reminded him. Tears crept in his eyes as he continued, "But what we're doing is horrible. She deserves to know who she is. Lucy is Lucy, she'll forgive us."

"What if she doesn't?" Natsu asked, his voice cracking. "What if she leaves us? I can't handle being left again, Happy. I just can't…"

"So you would rather keep lying to her? She's going to find out eventually. Who knows, Levy could even be telling her right now. Don't you want to be the one to tell her?"

"But then she'd just be mad that we kept it a secret for so long."

"And she has every right to. You are my best friend, I'll go along with whatever you want. I don't want Lucy to leave us either, and if you think telling her will make her do so, then I'll lie with you. But I think we should at least give her the opportunity to find out for herself."

"What do you mean?" Natsu questioned with an arched brow.

Happy stared at his partner and answered, "We should take Lucy to see the King. If she goes to see the King like she wants, we can pretend that we never knew from the start. It might be too late for us to tell her now. We missed our opportunity. If she finds out that we kept it from her for so long, she really might hate us. But if we take her to the King, then he'll recognize her and tell her that she is his daughter."

"So you want us to lie even more and say that we never knew from the start?"

"Aye. We already lied too much that there's no going back."

"Do you think that'll work?"

"Well, it'll give Lucy a family like she always wanted and there would be no reason for her to be mad at us if she never finds out."

Natsu felt himself relax a bit at the thought of that. It sounded like a decent plan. Sure, it involved lying, but this way everyone was happy. Lucy would meet her father like she had always wanted and they wouldn't lose their best friend. It was a win-win solution.

"Alright," Natsu said, staring up at the sky. "After this, we'll take Lucy to see the King."

* * *

Lucy happily approached the counter, a load of cute clothes she had tried on in her hands. Placing them all on the counter, she gave the clerk a smile as the older woman tallied the price. Just as she finished, the blonde was going to hand the employee the jewels needed when a fast hand beat her to it. Levy thanked the clerk who had taken her money, and turned to Lucy.

"I got it," the blue-headed girl said with a grin.

"No way! That's a lot of clothes!" Lucy protested, crossing her arms. "You don't have to do this, Levy-chan!"

"I want to! After all the help you did with Gajeel, I want to repay you."

"I was just doing what I was supposed to."

"Well then next time we reunite, you can pay for my lunch or something."

Lucy grinned ear to ear and nodded happily. That meant that Levy wanted to hang out again sometime, which she wanted too, of course.

Fiore was big, and at first, it was terrifying as well. There were so many unfamiliar things she had to get accustomed to. She was surrounded by strangers and all she wanted was to go home. Now, the place was her home, full of the nicest people she had ever met and was glad to call her friends.

"Thanks for the clothes, Levy-chan," Lucy said as they left the boutique. Snow crunched beneath her feet with each step. Luckily, there was only a thin sheet of snow blanketing the ground.

"No problem, Lu-chan! Now come on! I want to show you more of my favorite books! Since you're leaving soon, we have to read fast so that you're caught up with Earthland's greatest novels!" Levy replied, grabbing her friend's hand and dragging her towards the library.

The girls arrived home in a fit of giggles as they had been talking about Gajeel and Natsu on their way back. Their boyfriends were weirdly similar in some aspects, it was funny.

With rushed greetings towards Jet and Droy, the two girls found the next book they were going to indulge themselves with, taking two copies and sitting at a table by themselves. Levy also grabbed gale reading glasses so that they could cruise through the story and start the next. They spent hours together, reading countless of stories. Together, they wept, cheered, and laughed through all of the moments.

Right now, they were reading a supernatural, romance novel. Levy's lips curled up into a smile as the drank in word after word, all the while being reminded of Gajeel. Before, she had wondered what being in love was like, not having any experience for herself. She had longed to be like the characters in the fictional stories she read. Now, she had a love story of her own. One that was admittedly a crazy ride, but far better than the ones she read. She no longer had to wonder what love was like, because she was living through her own love story.

Finishing their fourth book, Lucy closed the book with a sigh. Finishing books always left the girl with a sad feeling, almost like an emptiness in her heart. She knew she was being dramatic, but she couldn't help getting attached to characters and their worlds.

"That was another great story," Lucy said, wiping away the tears that brimmed her eyes.

"Is this your new favorite?" Levy questioned, smiling at the blonde.

"Hmm. I think I still like the first one more. It was just so creative! And I felt like I was in their world myself!"

Levy giggled. "I like that one more, too. This is so fun, Lu-chan! I've never met anyone that likes to read as much as I do until now!"

"Same here! Though, I still think you like reading more than I do. I prefer writing."

Levy dropped the book in her hand onto the table, creating a loud thud. Then, she turned her head towards the blonde, her eyes wide and her mouth parted.

"You… You write?" she asked.

Sweat drops formed on Lucy's forehead as she nervously chuckled. "Y-Yeah?"

In the blink of an eye, Levy's face was centimeters away from Lucy's, her eyes sparkling and a wide grin resting on her face. "Oh my Mavis! How could you not have told me this before!? Have you written anything yet!? Can I read it!?"

"W-Well, I wrote a bit back in Earth," Lucy replied, her face turning red from the attention. "I wasn't that good, though. Never got published."

"That doesn't mean anything! Do you know how many of Kemu Zaelon's books got rejected before he finally got published? Over a hundred! Oh, you have to let me read your work!"

"I don't have any here! They're all back on Earth! And I haven't really had the chance to write with the storybook and all."

"Then it's settled!" Levy exclaimed, sitting back in her seat and giving the other girl some space. "After seeing King Heartfilia, you can start writing again and I'll be your first reader!"

Lucy grinned and nodded, happy that someone wanted to read her stories. "Okay! Now come on, let's read another book! But this time, I want to read something you haven't read before!"

Levy cupped her chin in thought. "I've read nearly every book here, but we did just get a new shipment a few weeks ago that I haven't gotten the chance to read." She retrieved the box of new books and grabbed two copies of an adventure-romance novel. "Want to try this one?"

"Sure!"

The two girls read together in a content silence. The story started out as most adventure novels do, introducing the characters and eventually leading into the plot. Halfway through the book, the two main characters got together, which caused the girls to happily squeal. Then, things got weird.

"U-Uhh, there's some… _mature_ content," Lucy said with a cough. Her cheeks were bright red as she continued to read.

"Y-Yeah, I saw," Levy replied. Her face was just as red. They continued to read through the sex scene, feeling a bit awkward to be reading it with someone else. "…I wonder what that's like." Finding that Lucy was unresponsive, Levy turned her head towards the blonde to find that her face was now an even deeper shade of red. Levy's eyes widened and her jaw dropped on its hinges. "Oh. My. Mavis. You and Natsu!?"

Lucy nodded and covered her face with her hands. "Yes!"

"H-How many times!?"

"Levy-chan!"

"I'm just curious!"

"J-Just once," Lucy stammered, her cheeks burning. "It was just before we got here, actually." Memories of that night replayed in her head.

 _Lucy pulled away from the kiss, her eyelids heavy, and rested her forehead against his._

 _"I promise I'll never leave you," she whispered, pressing her lips against his once again._

 _Natsu nodded gratefully, cupping the back of her head and deepening the kiss. Their tongues moved against each other in harmony. Fires were lit within the two of them and there was only one way to put them out._

 _"Oh, that's right,"_ Lucy thought. " _Natsu was scared of me leaving him and that's what led up to that moment."_

There were a few times when Natsu would randomly get down in the dumps, for reasons unknown to Lucy. She figured that if he wanted to tell her, he would. So, she gave him time and space in those situations. Eventually, he would bounce back to his normal self. She always assumed it was because of Igneel's disappearance.

"So when are you going to do it again?" Levy questioned, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, I don't know. It's not like we plan these things in advance, it just happens," Lucy answered, the pink tint returning to her cheeks.

"Oh. Well what's it like?"

"It's amazing," Lucy whispered to her friend. She never had the chance to talk about these things with a girl friend before, and it was actually fun- though, it was also a little embarrassing. "It's like your body explodes with this tingling feeling."

Levy blushed as well. "Where did you guys do it? How did you get away from Happy?"

"Well it was in the middle of the night and I woke up to find that Natsu wasn't there. We were camping in the forest because we were traveling here. Anyways, I told Natsu I would never leave him and one thing led to another…"

"Wow. Good for you, Lu-chan!" Levy congratulated with a wide grin.

The blonde giggled. "I'm sure you and Gajeel will do it soon. I've seen the bedroom glances you give each other."

"W-WE DO NOT!"

With that, the two girls began teasing each other before returning to the book.

* * *

Natsu woke up in the middle of the night, his throat feeling dry. Glancing towards Lucy and Happy, he found them peacefully snoozing. So, he carefully got out from under the covers and tiptoed out of the room to not wake them up.

With a yawn, the boy headed towards the kitchen and got a glass of water. Chugging its contents, he wiped his mouth before turning to go back to his room, jumping from start seeing Levy watching him, her face serious.

"L-Levy?" Natsu said, bending over and clutching his heart. The tiny girl practically gave him a heart attack. "What are you doing? You thirsty, too?"

"No. I wanted to ask you something," Levy answered. Her lips were in a straight line, her brows drooped. "It's about Lu-chan."

Natsu nodded, knowing that the talk was going to happen eventually. Once he and Happy returned from their fishing trip earlier, they were anxious to find Lucy, figuring that Levy would've spilled the beans during their shopping trip. They were relieved to find that she didn't, but Natsu knew that they would be questioned.

"You know, don't you?" Levy asked with a frown.

Natsu swallowed thickly and nodded. "Yeah…"

"Why are you keeping it a secret from Lu-chan? She deserves-"

"I know. She deserves to know. Which is why Happy and I are going to take her to see the King and find out for herself."

"Why don't you just tell her yourself?"

Natsu's hands formed tight fists and he turned his gaze to the floor. "It's too late. If we tell her now, she'll hate us for not telling her sooner."

"Why didn't you?" Levy questioned.

"Well, there were a lot of reasons. I knew it the day I met her, but we weren't exactly close then. I needed her to finish the storybook and if I told her that she was from this world, she would just have a breakdown. I needed her to keep helping me, because I thought she would help me find Igneel once the curse was broken."

"Okay but you two clearly got closer over time. Why didn't you tell her then?"

"Because you know the King. He isn't a nice guy. He casted a curse over the entire kingdom, taking away all of our happy endings. Lucy's been looking forward to meeting her parents, I just couldn't break it to her that her mother was dead and that her dad was the evil villain that started all of this. I couldn't crush her spirit like that.

"And then we got even closer. She's one of my best friends, I couldn't risk losing her. I thought that if I told her about her identity, she would leave Happy and me to go be with her dad. I didn't want to lose her. But looking back now, I doubt she would've left us."

"So why not tell her now? Now that you know she won't leave you?" Levy questioned.

"Because it's too late. It's not even about her old man anymore. We kept it a secret from her for so long. We listened to her vent about not having parents, about wanting to find them, all the while knowing where they were. And yet we didn't tell her. If she finds out that we knew, she'll hate us," Natsu answered, his throat constricting with pain.

Levy frowned. Though she didn't agree with their ways of going about things, she wholeheartedly understood their intentions. They were just scared of losing their friend. She felt bad for the two. Surely it must've been hard keeping such a secret from Lucy. They were probably beating themselves up over their guilt.

"So you plan on taking Lu-chan to meet the King, and then what?" Levy asked.

"We act as if we never knew," Natsu answered. He kenw it was wrong, but they didn't have any other choice at this point.

"What if Lu-chan finds out that you hid it from her? What if I tell her the truth?"

Natsu frowned. "Then I would have to deal with the punishment. I wouldn't blame you for telling her."

"So you'll accept the punishment? Whatever it is?"

"Yeah. I deserve it."

Levy studied the boy before sighing. "I don't want Lu-chan to get mad at you. She loves you a lot, I don't want this to come between you two. And I'm also indebted to you as well after you helped with Gajeel. So, I won't tell her."

"R-Really?"

"But I have some terms. I want Lu-chan to find out about her identity. She deserves to know. So, if she can't figure it out herself when she meets the King, I expect you to tell her. Also, no more lying to her after this."

"Deal!"

"Not so fast. There's one more thing. If Lu-chan ever finds out that you lied to her, I want you to accept whatever punishment she gives you. If she wants to cut you out of her life, I want you to listen to her. I don't want her to be in any more pain that she already is. If you can't agree, then I'll go tell her myself."

The two stared each other down, Levy's gaze unyielding. The girl may've been short, but her determination and resolve was stronger than steel. Both of them just wanted the best for Lucy, but had different ways of going about it. While one wanted to hide the girl from the painful truth, the other wanted to help the girl find out and move on.

"Okay," Natsu finally replied. "You have my word. If Lucy cuts me out of her life, I'll listen to her."

* * *

 **AN:** Now that Levy's out of the way, our trio is going to see the King! After a couple of filler chapters of course. :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **narutoyaoifan, animefan393939, MasterGildarts, Shadow Joestar, Juvia is my spirit animal(x4), HollyDragneel, stranger1999, naluloverr, shootingstarssel, Sir Something, DaddyDragneel, Kippysaurus(x2), KitKat2648, Guest, Nalulove(x2), Jiminthusiast(Lunahartz).** :)


	87. Chapter 87

**AN:** This is the last we'll see Levy and the others for a little bit! But not too long unlike the rest of the characters. Enjoy the speedy update and this filler! :D

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Chapter 87

Goodbye, Tulle

The rest of the week went by in a blur. Lucy was glad that they decided to stay in Tulle for a few days. She and Levy read a bunch of books, everyone played games together, and they spent dinners talking and getting to know each other even better.

Now it was Saturday, and just as Levy had promised back at Gajeel's house after the final battle, she was going to spend her first weekend with him and Lily. Though, she was a little nervous going by herself, so she was forcing everyone else to go, too.

It was Lucy, Natsu, and Happy's last day before they were going to leave Tulle to go see the King. Levy wanted to spend as much time as possible with them before they left. Plus, she wanted Jet and Droy to warm up to Gajeel. So, it was a good thing that she was bringing everyone along.

" _I just hope nobody fights,"_ she thought, biting her lip in worry. Despite Jet and Droy reluctantly approving of her relationship with Gajeel, it was clear the two still hated him after everything that happened. She hoped today would mend things between everyone.

Levy watched as Lucy packed her things. Natsu and Happy were sitting on the bed, talking up a storm rather than helping their partner.

"It sucks you guys are leaving so soon," Levy said with a frown.

Lucy turned to face her and mirrored the expression. "I know. But we can always visit each other! After we talk to the King, we're going to look for Igneel! I'm sure Tulle will be on the way to one of our destinations!"

"I hope so. Here, Lu-chan. Let me help you pack."

"It's fine, Levy-chan. _These_ two should be the ones helping me," Lucy replied, giving Natsu and Happy a sharp glance.

"Hey, we already packed all of our things," Natsu protested, crossing his arms.

"Aye, it's not our fault you have a bunch of stuff," Happy agreed. "Why did you go and buy yourself new clothes anyways? You're always complaining about how heavy your bag is."

"Because I needed more winter clothes!"

"You already have a winter outfit."

"Not all of us can wear the same outfit every day. Hell, you don't even wear clothes, Happy."

Levy smiled as she watched the three bicker. She was sad that they were going to be leaving soon, but happy for Lucy. She was going to find out about who she really was, and despite the pain that it would bring, surely it would bring relief and joy as well.

Once everyone finished packing and eating breakfast- which took a while thanks to Natsu's insatiable appetite- the group was on the streets of Tulle, headed for the steel house in the forest, home of Gajeel and Lily, and also home of Levy for a short time. Lucy was glad she bought more winter clothes. The fleece sweater she wore felt amazing and she could barely feel winter's chill.

A smile graced Levy's face as Gajeel's house finally came into few after a few hours of walking nonstop. Despite her worries of possible fights breaking out, the girl was excited to see her boyfriend for the first time in days.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed, leading the way. Unsurprisingly, Gajeel had already finished repairing his house after his battles with everyone. So, they took to the front door, Levy knocking excitedly.

Eventually, the door opened, revealing Lily standing in the doorway. He was in his powerful form, probably in case it was someone trying to attack them. He grinned at the sight of Levy and pulled the short girl in for a tight hug.

"It's great to see you again, Levy!" he said.

"You too, Lily," the girl replied, giving him a warm smile. "Where's Gajeel?"

The exceed chuckled. "He's moping in his room."

"Moping? Did something happen? He knows we're coming over today, right?"

"That's precisely why he's moping. He was complaining that you were bringing the rest of your friends with you. He was saying that he didn't want them in our home."

"What an ass," Jet said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well then, why don't we leave? We'll take Levy with us!"

"Oh hush," Levy replied, giving him a stern stare. She led the way inside the familiar home and planted her hands on her hips. "Gajeel! Get over here, jerk!"

Eventually, Gajeel came to greet them, his hands shoved in his pockets as his eyes glazed over Levy, causing her cheeks to flare up. His own cheeks had a light pink hue to them, his heart racing at the sight of the girl. Then, he moved his gaze to the group behind Levy, all giving him different looks. Happy was excitedly grinning at him while Lucy awkwardly chuckled and gave a small wave. Natsu looked disinterested and perhaps slightly annoyed while Jet and Droy shot him daggers with their eyes.

Gajeel sighed. This was going to be a long weekend. All he wanted was to spend the time with Levy, not her entire entourage, especially since they probably hated him. Still, he was going to try to enjoy the little time he had with her.

Eyes landing on Levy once again, he nodded his head slightly in greeting. "Shrimp."

"Gajeel," the girl replied, crossing her arms. "Well? Are you going to entertain your guests?"

The boy sighed again, rolling his eyes. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, figure it out!"

Gajeel stared at her for a few seconds, making her squirm nervously in her spot. Then, he suddenly turned on his heel and walked away from them. Levy wanted to follow to make sure he wasn't ditching them, when the boy returned much quicker than she expected. He was now dressed in a white tux and sunglasses and had a guitar in his hands.

"I call this one 'Best Friend.' Give it a listen," Gajeel said before strumming the guitar.

Everyone blanched as the boy began to sing. Despite his appearance, the song wasn't heavy metal or even rock. Instead, it had a jazzy vibe to it. The singing wasn't the worst, but it wasn't good either. The guitar playing was decent. But the song… The song was the worst song that any of them had ever heard.

Suddenly, Natsu leapt forward and decked Gajeel straight in the face, sending him flying backwards.

"Shut up, Metal Face! You're makin' my ears bleed!" Natsu said.

Gajeel quickly shot up to his feet again and glared at him. "This is real music, Salamander! How dare you interrupt my song!"

With that, a brawl erupted between the two. Luckily, they were just sparring this time… sort of. Their punches and kicks looked painful, but it was clear they weren't trying to inflict real damage on the other.

Levy and Lucy sighed, shaking their heads from the sidelines.

"I just wanted a nice day with my boyfriend," the former complained.

Lucy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I wish I could say that this was unexpected, but I saw this coming a mile away." Walking fearlessly towards Natsu and Gajeel, she stopped beside them and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at them. "Knock it off, guys! Come on, we only have one day left here and I'd like to spend it having fun, not watching you idiots fight!"

With great precision, Lucy grabbed Natsu by the scarf just as he was going to punch Gajeel again. Gajeel was going to use that to his advantage and deliver a blow of his own when Levy grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Let's play a game!" she suggested, hoping to stop all of the fighting.

"I ain't got any games," Gajeel replied, looking at the ground. He felt a little bad. Not for fighting Natsu. No, he'd wanted to fight the other dragon slayer again, this time on equal terms. He felt bad for not knowing how to entertain Levy. It was easy when it was just the two of them- and Lily, of course. But with everyone else, it was hard for him to open up.

He wasn't exactly the best host either. As someone that spent a lot of his time alone, he didn't have board games to play with others. He didn't have much of anything, really. But since it still wasn't safe for him to go back to Tulle, they had no choice but to meet at his house.

Levy arched a brow, noticing the glum expression on Gajeel's face. Figuring he just wasn't used to all of this yet, she smiled reassuringly at him.

"We don't need board games," Levy said. "We can play word games!"

"Word games?"

"Yeah! There's a lot! Like truth or dare! Or never have I ever!"

Lucy arched a brow. "You guys have those games in this world? We had those games in Earth, too! That's so weird!"

"Well it doesn't really have any hard concepts to it, I'm sure it's something people come up with in every world."

"I guess that makes sense. I vote we play never have I ever," Lucy replied. She didn't trust Natsu playing truth or dare. Knowing him, he would ask her embarrassing things if she answered truth or dare her to do horrible things on dare. Not to mention Happy… Hell, that cat was practically Satan's spawn, he would've tortured her had they played that game!

Everyone moved to the kitchen and sat at the table.

"How do you play this game?" Happy asked.

"You've never played it?" Lucy questioned in return.

"Happy's been with me since he hatched from his egg and I've never actually settled down somewhere or played games with people," Natsu explained with a shrug.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." It seemed like forever since she had been tagging along with the two, she nearly forgot what life was like before joining them. "Well, everyone holds five fingers up and we go around saying something that we've never done. If you've done it, then you have to put a finger down. The last one with fingers up is the winner."

"It's basically a game to get to know people better and to learn their secrets," Levy added, glancing at Lucy and wiggling her eyebrows. "I can't wait to find out more of your secrets, Lu-chan!"

The blonde shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I forgot you can be as evil as Happy!"

With that, they started the game, everyone holding five fingers up.

"I'll go first to start things off," Levy said. "Hmm… Never have I ever stolen something before."

Natsu and Gajeel narrowed their eyes at the petite girl while lowering their fingers.

"I'll go next!" Lucy said. "Never have I ever-!"

"Oi, cheater!" Natsu interrupted, pointing at her. "You have stolen!"

"What!? No I haven't!"

"Remember back in Shirotsume? You stole that milkshake!"

"That was only because you got us kicked out and I didn't get the chance to pay!"

"Sounds like Bunny Girl has to put a finger down," Gajeel said with his signature laugh. "Looks like you ain't as innocent as I thought."

"She the least innocent one here," Natsu replied, giving the blonde a suggestive look.

Lucy's face was set ablaze at that and she quickly cleared her throat. "F-Fine, I'll put a finger down! It's still my turn to go. Never have I ever met a dragon!"

Natsu and Gajeel grumbled, forced to put down another finger.

"This game is unfair!" the former barked. "You guys are just going after us!"

"Wait until it's our turn," Gajeel added with a huff. He wasn't liking this game so far. Apparently he wasn't good at it. If it was even possible to be good at this game to begin with.

"Never have I ever had black hair," Jet said, staring straight at Gajeel, clearly targeting him.

"Oi! Is this allowed!? He's only going for me!"

"Wrong. Panther Lily and Droy also have black hair," Jet corrected.

Droy went next. "Never have I ever kissed a girl."

Natsu and Gajeel put their fingers down, though this time there was no reluctance to it. Instead, they wore proud smirks as they lowered their fingers, causing their girlfriends to blush.

"Never have I ever put my hair in a ponytail," Happy said with a wide grin. Finally, Lucy and Levy were forced to put a finger down. Even Gajeel lowered one himself, leaving him with only one point.

The game continued for a while. Gajeel was obviously the first to go, followed by Natsu, Jet, Droy, and then Happy, in that order. All that was left were Lucy, Levy, and Lily. Lily only had one finger left while the girls had two.

"Never have I ever been affected by a sleeping curse!" Lucy exclaimed, hoping that she could knock down her competitors and win the game.

Levy grumbled and lowered her finger. "Never have I ever flown in the sky!"

Both Lucy and Lily were forced to lower a finger.

Lily grumbled as he shook his head. "Looks like I'm out of the game now."

That just left the girls.

Lucy bit her lower lip, hoping to find something against the other girl. She had already went for the things she knew. Whatever she said next would be a gamble, just a guess.

"Never have I ever… Never have I ever been to Hargeon!" she said with slight confidence. Hargeon was one of the most popular and bustling towns of Fiore that attracted many tourists, according to a book she read upon stumbling onto Earthland. She hoped that the other girl would've been there before.

Unfortunately, Levy only smirked at her, her finger remaining pointed up to the ceiling.

"Sorry, Lu-chan," the girl said with no hint of regret. "But this is it! Never have I ever had sex!"

At that, Lucy's faced turned redder than a tomato and she hid her face in her hands.

"L-Levy-chan!" she cried in embarrassment. Though, it wasn't like she was mad or anything. That point was always used in this game, she shouldn't have been surprised.

"You and Bunny Girl?" Gajeel asked Natsu with an arched brow.

"Yep," the pink-haired boy answered, all the while wearing the smuggest grin anyone had ever seen. He wasn't embarrassed in the slightest.

Happy gasped. "How did I not know this!?"

"Because you would only make fun of us!" Lucy answered, glaring at him.

The group played a couple more games in the span of two hours. During that time, the tension from before disappeared, replaced with a light atmosphere full of laughter and fun. Everyone was getting to know each other. Even Jet and Droy were starting to laugh at some of Gajeel's remarks. All in all, the group formed a strong bond, one that wouldn't be broken with distance.

"We should get going now," Lucy said with a sad smile. "We want to get out of here before the sun goes down and we really have to hurry to Crocus."

Levy reluctantly nodded, knowing that this was a trip that couldn't wait. "Okay. Make sure you visit, okay Lu-chan?"

"Of course!"

The two girls shared the tightest of hugs, tears forming in their eyes at the thought of not seeing each other for a while. The three made their rounds of goodbyes with everyone.

Natsu crossed his arms and glared at Gajeel. "I want a rematch one day, got it?"

"Fine by me," the taller boy replied.

"No cheating this time!"

"I didn't cheat! I just used the resources around me like a real dragon slayer should!"

Natsu wanted to charge at him but held himself back as he had more pressing issues to deal with. With a serious expression he asked, "When did your dragon disappear? Was it soon after King Heartfilia's curse?"

Gajeel gave him a grim frown. "Yeah. What about it?"

"That's when Igneel disappeared, too. And Wendy's dragon, same with Sting's. It can't all be just a coincidence."

"So? The curse takes away our happy endings, right? Then that's probably why they're gone."

"But the curse should be broken now. That means they should be back."

"We don't know what happened over the years." Gajeel shoved his hands in his pockets. "We don't know if they're alive."

Natsu glared at the other dragon slayer. "They're alive. I know it. Have some faith in the dragon that raised you."

"Faith? Get it through your thick skull, Salamander. We don't know for sure that this was all the curse's doing. Hell, for all we know, they could've just abandoned us regardless of the curse."

The tension from before returned as the dragon slayers stared each other down, rage boiling within them like a volcano threatening to erupt. It was a touchy subject for the both of them.

"Now, now," Lucy said, stepping in between the two. "Let's end things on a good note here, okay? After we talk to the King, we're going to go look for Igneel. And if we happen to find your dragon on the way, we'll let you know, okay Gajeel?"

"Do whatever you want," the boy replied with a scoff.

Lucy sighed, figuring that was the best she was going to get from him. Then he spoke again.

"…If you do, use this to contact me," Gajeel said, fishing in his pocket for something. He then held his hand out towards her, revealing a pair of metallic earrings. "I made these so that if you're ever in danger, you could just channel your magic into them and it'll go to my receiver." He pointed to one of his own studs in his ear.

"Wow," Lucy breathed out, accepting the earrings with gratitude. "Why did you make these for me?"

Gajeel shoved his hands in his pockets once more, staring at the floor. "I made the earrings for you and a ring for Levy. I figured that after what I did to you, I could give you this to try to make up for it."

Lucy smiled at him and removed her earrings. She then replaced them with her new set. "Thanks, Gajeel."

"Ehh, whatever. Whether you're in danger or you find my old man, channel your magic into those earrings and I'll come running. Here, Shrimp. I was going to give you yours later, but I might as well give it to you now." He turned towards Levy and held out the ring towards her.

Levy flushed as she accepted it. It wasn't a marriage proposal or anything, but her boyfriend was giving her a ring that he made himself. Of course she would blush from that.

"Alright, we really should get going now," Lucy said again. She smiled at everyone, sad to be leaving them.

"Bye, Lu-chan!" Levy cried, slamming herself into the blonde's body in a bear hug. She then pulled away and gave a hesitant expression. "If… If you ever need to talk to me about anything, I'm here for you, okay? Just use a lacrima and I'll pick up. I mean it."

Lucy arched a brow at the girl's sudden seriousness but nodded. "Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Levy-chan."

With that, everyone said their goodbyes once more before the trio set out on their mission. Natsu and Happy were anxious for what was to come, but they knew this was the right thing to do. Lucy deserved to meet her father, and they were going to make sure it happened.

* * *

Loud footsteps boomed through the castle, each step echoing through the halls as a tall, fuller man approached his master's study. The man knocked twice on the large door, waiting for permission to be granted before entering the room. Upon entrance, he found his master sitting at his desk, his head resting upon the palm of his hand, seemingly waiting for this moment.

"Yes, Aria?" his master asked.

"We have the girl's new whereabouts," the man answered. "It appears she finished the storybook. They are just leaving Tulle. She is still being accompanied by the dragon slayer and exceed."

"How amusing."

"Is it finally time, Master Jose?"

Jose's eyes grew wide and sinister, his grin growing. "Yes, it's time."

Aria began to weep, soaking the bandages that covered his eyes. "How sad! The girl finally finished her mission, only to be taken in our clutches without being able to rest! It's just so sad!"

Jose's grin grew wider as he nodded. "Yes. Very sad."

"Should I have our men that are following them fetch the girl?"

"No. I'm afraid that they aren't strong enough to go against our soon-to-be prisoner. Not to mention the dragon slayer. We'll have to send someone else in."

"Should I go?"

"No. You are to stay here. It's time for our allies to join the fray."

"You mean-"

"Yes, _them._ We cannot risk losing. Leave my study now. I must contact them. Meanwhile, as second in command, you are to prepare everyone for the battle at hand. Surely the dragon slayer won't allow us to take his lover without putting up a fight. War shall soon rage upon us. We must be ready."

* * *

 **AN:** I'm so excited to start the next arc soon. It's literally the arc that I've been dying to write before I even started writing this story you have no idea. :')

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **naluloverr, animefan393939, ChiliR612, shootingstarssel, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, narutoyaoifan, KitKat2648, Jiminthusiast, Nalulove.** You guys never fail to make me smile. :)


	88. Chapter 88

**AN:** Who's ready for the next filler? :D And check out that speedy update. ;D Anyways, I know everyone wants to start the next arc right away, and I do too lmao but two more fillers to go! I think you guys will like this one tho lol.

Also, I posted a new story if you guys wanna check it out. I write that one when I have writer's block for this one lol. It's a little darker than this story I think so it's okay if you aren't into it!

* * *

Chapter 88

Snowball Fight

With snow crunching beneath her feet and the icy wind blowing through her hair, Lucy was quickly beginning to regret agreeing to walk back to Crocus. She didn't want Natsu to deal with his motion sickness when he didn't even want to go see the King in the first place and it technically wasn't fully necessary given it wasn't in the storybook. But now that her face was numb and her ears burned with each gust of harsh wind, the girl wanted nothing more than to head to the nearest train station.

" _How did I forget to buy a hat?"_ Lucy wondered, cursing herself. At least she bought gloves so that her hands didn't have to suffer the way her ears did.

The weather wasn't as bad as it was back on Mt. Hakobe, but Lucy's body was naturally inclined towards the warmth of summer.

" _Maybe I won't be visiting Gray and Juvia. It's too cold where they live. They can make the trip to see us."_

Crocus was a three day's walk away from Tulle, and that was when they were rushing to help Levy in time. Now, there wasn't a real reason to rush, besides to escape from winter's clutches.

Natsu glanced towards Lucy. She was shivering and her usually fair skin was red. Feeling a bit guilty that he was the reason she was freezing, he removed the scarf around his neck and held it out to her as they walked.

Lucy glanced at the scarf, her mouth parting slightly. "You're giving me your scarf?"

"Letting you borrow it," Natsu corrected with a grin. "I guess I owe you since you aren't making us ride the train even though it was your turn to choose. Next time, we'll take the train. I promise."

The girl gave him a warm smile and accepted the scarf, wrapping it around her face. Immediately, she felt relief. After all, the scarf had always been wrapped around a fire dragon slayer, it was bound to be warm.

"Thank you, Natsu," Lucy said, intertwining her hand with his. It had been a while since they did anything remotely romantic and she missed the feel of him.

"Don't mention it," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

Happy flew behind the two and smiled. Usually, he would take any opportunity to tease the two about their relationship, but since it had been a while since they had "alone" time, he decided to turn the other cheek this time.

"So where's our first stop after we see the King?" Lucy asked, smiling at Natsu. "We're going to start looking for Igneel soon. It'd be good to have a plan."

"I don't know," the boy answered with a shrug. "Happy and I just searched forests and mountains where it would be possible for a dragon to hide. Oh, and we checked out any towns that were rumored to have dragon sightings."

"Were there any?"

"Nah, all fake stories. One lady was just a psycho that wanted people to believe her so badly, she built mechanical dragons. And another guy was going by the name Salamander in another place, I thought it could be a link to Igneel."

"Do you know when the last real sighting of a dragon was?"

Natsu frowned and shook his head. "It's been years. Most real sightings of dragons end up with the dragons being dead from either natural causes or killed by humans. And none of them have been Igneel."

"Well that's good!" Lucy replied, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Even though it's been a while since someone's seen a dragon, Igneel wasn't one of the ones found. Which means he's alive somewhere! We just have to find him!"

Gajeel's words replayed in Natsu's head. If Igneel was alive somewhere, why wasn't he looking for him? Was there really a good explanation? He always had faith in Igneel but ever since meeting Gajeel, doubts started to plague his mind.

Lucy frowned, reading the frown on Natsu's face like an open book. Tugging at his hand to stop him from walking, she gained his attention and smiled at him.

"There's an explanation for this. I promise. And once we find Igneel, we'll get the truth from him. So cheer up, okay?"

Natsu smiled and nodded. No matter how down he was feeling, having Lucy by his side always managed to make things better. She was his light at the end of a tunnel, his hope for tomorrow and the days to come.

Natsu leaned towards the girl and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before giving her a toothy grin and resuming their walk once more.

* * *

Once night settled, the three set up camp. It had been a while since they slept outside, but they bounced back to their routine with ease. Happy and Natsu went to go get firewood while Lucy set up everyone's sleeping bags.

They managed to make it to Marza Valley during their first day of walking. The snow was thinner here, but still stuck to the ground rather than melting away. Lucy shivered, hoping that the boys would return soon with the wood so Natsu could make a big enough fire to warm her up through the night.

" _I could just sleep in Natsu's sleeping bag with him,"_ Lucy thought, her cheeks dusting pink. " _After all, we've done a lot more than sleeping in the same bed together."_ Images of their previous rendezvous popped in her head, a familiar tingling sensation erupting between her legs as the pit of her stomach pooled with warmth.

"Yo, Luce! We're back!" Natsu's voice rang out.

Natsu watched as Lucy whipped her head towards them. He immediately noticed that she was blushing and watched as her eyes trailed towards his abs. A smirk danced on his lips when she quickly turned away to hide her cheeks.

Once the wood was stacked correctly, Natsu breathed fire onto them, warming Lucy and Happy up in an instant.

"We should get some sleep," Lucy suggested, snuggling with Happy inside her sleeping bag. "I want to get to Dawn City as soon as possible. I don't remember there being snow last time we were there."

"Aye. And we can sleep in a hotel," Happy added. "Lucy takes up too much space in the sleeping bag."

"Don't make me shave off your fur." Lucy yawned, feeling her eyes growing heavy. Soon enough, she was dozing off into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Lucy's eyes fluttered open, the dark sky littered with stars just above her. With a yawn, the girl glanced around and saw that Natsu wasn't in his sleeping bag. Concerned knowing that he wasn't in the best of moods earlier, the blonde carefully got out from her sleeping back, trying not to wake up Happy.

Lucy knew that Natsu wouldn't stray too far from the camp. So, she stayed local as she looked for him. Soon enough, she came upon a small clearing, where she found Natsu sitting in the grass, staring up at the sky.

"What are you doin' awake, Luce?" Natsu asked, turning his head towards her and giving her a smile. She supposed he must've heard her coming or noticed her scent.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, plopping beside him. Staring at the sky, Lucy couldn't help but smile. The stars were shining brightly, their light washing over them. Pink dusted her cheeks as she continued, "You know, Marza Valley is where we went all the way. I'm sure it's somewhere around here."

Natsu turned towards her and ruffled her hair. "Only a weirdo would bring that up out of nowhere."

Lucy huffed. "It's not weird. I'm nostalgic."

"Again, weird."

Natsu laughed, watching as the girl puffed her cheeks out in annoyance and crossed her arms. He loved annoying her, it was the highlight of his day. Suddenly, something plopped onto his head, cutting his laughter short.

Lucy snickered, watching as Natsu shook the snow out of his hair. Then, he gave her a mischievous grin, his eyes lighting up with his usual excitement.

He leaned towards her, his face mere centimeters away from her own. "Are you starting a war with me? You sure you wanna go that route?"

Lucy feigned innocence, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Better start running, Luce!"

Natsu cupped some snow into his hands, creating a snowball. But he didn't stop there. He rolled the snowball, making it grow bigger and bigger. Lucy sweat-dropped, rising to her feet and inching away from the menace. When Natsu finished, he had more of a snow-boulder rather than a snowball.

"KYAAA!" Lucy screamed as she ran away from Natsu, who cackled and chased behind her with his deadly weapon. "Stop, Natsu! That's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and war!" the boy shot back. He then threw it at the blonde, causing her to fall into the snowy ground.

Lucy glared at him. "Fine. This is war, Dragneel!"

With that, the great snowball war commenced. Natsu took to making his ammunition while Lucy focused on defense, starting to create a fort.

"A fort isn't going to help you win the war if you don't have any snowballs!" Natsu critiqued, throwing a snowball at her.

Lucy huffed and retaliated with a sloppy snowball of her own landing straight in his face. The two ran around, trying to land hits on the other.

Natsu dodged a snowball by a hair, only to be hit by another and sent sprawling back. Lucy laughed, delivering attack after attack now that he was vulnerable. Natsu gave a low growl before breathing a fiery roar, melting all of the snowballs that were flying towards him.

"Hey, you cheated!" Lucy shouted, planting her hands on her hips.

"Remember what I said? All's fair in love and war, Luce! Get used to it!" Natsu replied with a smug grin. Then, he began his counterattack. He was faster at making snowballs and had much better precision.

Lucy squealed, jumping around to avoid getting hit. Pulling out her whip, she began to slash at any snowballs that got too close. With that, they were at a standstill, neither able to advance towards victory.

They stared each other down, waiting for the other to move. Moving fast, Lucy thrust her whip towards Natsu, skillfully wrapping it around his ankle. With a huff, she yanked on her whip, causing Natsu to fall on his back once again. The girl rushed towards him while he was down, and pelted him with snowball after snowball.

Natsu yelped as one hit him in the face. With a growl, he got up and tackled Lucy back into the snow, cackling at her startled cries. The two laid there, laughter filling the air.

Natsu pulled away a little, staring at Lucy's flushed face after running around. The moonlight washed over her features, her eyes twinkling brighter than the stars. She was always beautiful, but he loved it most when she laughed. The way her eyes crinkled and her smile lit up the world, it was contagious.

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers, molding their lips together in a soft kiss. Lucy's eyes fluttered open as Natsu pulled away from the kiss, her insides feeling light and fluffy.

Natsu got off of her and sat up, facing the stars again. Lucy sat up and leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

Natsu thought back to Lucy cheering him up earlier. She was so supportive of him, agreeing to go along with him on his quest to find Igneel. He was an idiot for trying to keep her away from her own dad. She deserved to meet him, and he was actually happy for her to have that chance soon.

"Remember the last time we were here?" Natsu asked, his lips curling up into a smile.

"You mean besides us going all the way?"

"The stuff that happened before all that. Do you remember our conversation that led up to it?"

Lucy nodded and smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "I promised that I would never leave you guys."

Natsu chuckled. "It was dumb of me to ask you to promise that. I should've known that you never would've left us to begin with."

"Well, yeah. I do love you, after all. But I don't mind the promise at all. It made me happy knowing that you wanted me by your side forever because I feel the same way."

Natsu turned towards Lucy, his eyes darting towards her lips. Turning his gaze towards her eyes, he watched her chocolate brown orbs flicker to his own lips.

"You look good in my scarf," Natsu said, grinning at her. Reaching towards her, he grabbed the ends of the scarf which rested over her chest and pulled her towards him. He stopped when her lips were just in front of his, knowing that she would get frustrated. Just as he predicted, Lucy pouted, her eyes flickering to his lips, prompting him to move.

Natsu crashed his lips over hers in a rough kiss. Lucy, having missed his touch, snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to hers. Passion that they hadn't been able to act on overcame them, their hands exploring the other's body.

Lucy positioned herself on Natsu's lap, wrapping her legs around his torso. She could feel his hardened member through his sweats and she couldn't help but roll her hips and grind against him. Natsu released a shaky breath. It had been a while since they indulged themselves.

With Lucy's breasts in his face, Natsu wanted nothing more than to help himself. So, he quickly unzipped her new jacket and tossed it aside. Then, he removed each and every single piece of clothing that stood in his way, until her breasts were finally revealed. Mesmerized, his body moved on its own and he pressed his lips all around her hardened peaks, leaving butterfly kisses on her sensitive skin.

He could tell that she was loving it by the way she moaned and grinded harder against him. He loved teasing her. He kept going around her nipples, but never actually touching them, leaving Lucy wanting more. Unable to help himself much longer, he gently dragged the tip of his tongue over her nipple, just barely grazing her skin.

Lucy's eyes rolled in the back of her head from the pleasure she felt as Natsu's warm tongue dragged over her body. After that one soft lick to her nipple, he began to kiss and suck on it, giving her an out-of-body experience. Then, he moved to her other breast, all the while using his thumb to entertain the other.

Lucy knew that Natsu loved teasing her. It was time for revenge. Reluctantly pulling away from him, she got off of his lap and tore away his vest. Her eyes washed over his body. Even under the soft moonlight, she could see the indentations of his abs. Her eyes trailed downwards to the hem of his pants.

Natsu was surprised with Lucy's boldness as she took it upon herself to undress him. She removed his pants and stared at the bulge in his underwear before freeing his cock. Standing up, she then shimmied out of her leggings, leaving her in nothing but a black thong that didn't do much covering up.

Lucy settled herself in Natsu's lap once again, planting her lips over his in a passionate kiss. Natsu was enticed by her every movement, her brown eyes pooled with lust. She gently pushed him back until he was laying down. Leaning over his body, she left kisses over her neck, moving downwards. Her lips traced over his pecs down to his abs, and they didn't stop there.

Feeling adventurous, she lightly kissed the head of his hardened member, noticing Natsu tense. Then, she grazed his shaft with her tongue, dragging it over the velvety skin. She heard Natsu give a shaky breath as he rolled his hips towards her. Finally, she encircled her mouth over the tip before going down his shaft.

"Fuck, Lucy," Natsu breathed out, his body swelling with pleasure. Her mouth was hot around his cock, and her tongue was still sliding against him. It took every ounce of control not to release then and there.

She kept bobbing her head up and down over him, quickening the pace and forcing it even deeper in her mouth. She could feel herself beginning to choke as she wasn't experienced in this before and Natsu was rather large. Still, she kept going, knowing that it was driving him crazy.

Each suck was sending Natsu over the edge. A low growl escaped his throat as he felt Lucy's lips towards the end of his shaft. He used his hand to push Lucy's head to go deeper, knowing that she was up for the challenge. When it looked like she could use a break, he moved his hand and let her go at her own pace.

Lucy continued to use her mouth on the top part of Natsu's cock, and grabbed the bottom with her hand, pumping and twisting the skin. Natsu's toes curled and he grabbed the ground for support. Knowing that he was reaching his limit, he brought Lucy's head away from his length.

"My turn," he whispered, his voice seductive and breathy.

Lucy's eyes were wide as he flipped her onto her back. Now, she was the one laying down to enjoy the show. Natsu, feeling inspired, left a trail of butterfly kisses from her neck down to her breasts. Cupping one of her mounds and trailing over the nub with his thumb, he kissed her other breast, taking turns and pleasuring both.

Then, he kissed down to her naval, all the way to the hem of her thong. Feeling mischievous, he grabbed the hem with his teeth, taking off her thong with his mouth. Now that she was fully exposed, he placed kisses from her thighs, leading up to her entrance.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy called out, her voice shaky. Her eyes were wide as the feeling was new to her. "W-What are you doing?"

"My turn, remember?" he answered, moving his lips to her other thigh and journeying towards her folds once again.

With inexperienced curiosity, Natsu gently traced his tongue along her folds, tasting her natural juices. Lucy squealed from the touch, her body raking with shivers.

"Th-That felt weird," she said, her voice breathy.

"Should I stop?" Natsu asked.

"No, it was a good kind of weird. I'm just not used to it and I wasn't expecting it to feel like that."

Natsu nodded and went back for more. This time, he dragged her tongue over her lips, working his way to her clitoris. That prompted one hell of a reaction from Lucy. A moan escaped her lips and she fisted his hair. The simple touches were driving her crazy.

Kissing her lips, he pushed his tongue past her folds and towards her entrance. His tongue circled the opening before he pushed it in. He stretched her outer walls with his tongue, loving when she rolled her hips towards him. Every moan had him change the pace and movement of his tongue.

Lucy felt like she was going insane. All rational thoughts left her and all she could focus on was the intense pleasure. She arched her back, trying to get Natsu's tongue to go even deeper in her. Natsu, inspired by her earlier movements, moved his fingers towards her clitoris and began to rub it, all the while going in circles with his tongue inside of her.

"N-Natsu," Lucy moaned as the pleasure began to build up. She grinded against his face, prompting him to move his tongue even faster. He explored every inch of her, to the point that Lucy couldn't hold back anymore.

Wrapping her legs around Natsu's neck, she pushed herself deeper against him and continued to ride it out as waves of pleasure washed over her body. She shattered beneath him, her body spasming, her toes curling. Moans and whimpers kept leaving her lips as Natsu continued to tease her even after she released.

Natsu pulled away from her folds and stared at her entrance. She was wet with a combination of her own juices and his saliva. Wanting to know what it felt like, Natsu slid his dick against her folds and immediately shivered from the feel.

"We have to make you finish too," Lucy whispered in his ear.

Natsu swallowed thickly, allowing his tip to push through her folds and inside of her. A quiet moan slipped past his lips as he continued to delve deeper. She was so warm and her outer edges clung to him as he moved around in her. He began to thrust in and out of her, then moved in circles. She was tight against him.

It didn't take long for Natsu to feel himself about to release. He grabbed her by the shoulders to keep her in place. His breaths quickened, and the moment Lucy wrapped her legs around him to allow him to go deeper, his legs buckled and he released all of his pleasure. His body crumbled over hers, both of them panting and feeling at peace.

"How was it?" Lucy questioned, tracing her finger over his back in circular motions.

"It was great," Natsu answered. He pulled back and grinned at her. "I was right when I said you're the least innocent one."

Lucy blushed and smacked his arm. "Shut up. I only did it because you were teasing me."

"Still. You're bold, Luce. It's hot."

Natsu then plopped down beside her, both of them staring up at the night sky. And just as they ended the night their first time in Marza Valley, they ended the same now.

"I love you, Natsu."

"I love you too, Lucy."

* * *

 **AN:** It's been a while since I wrote smut so I'm a little rusty haha! Let me know what you guys think! :D

 **animefan393939:** Hmm, it's kinda hard to answer how many arcs there will be exactly because separating them is hard but I would say there is one big arc next, then a couple really small ones and that's it! :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, Erin Robinson, shootingstarssel, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, narutoyaoifan, Talia D'vile, stranger1999, Guest, Soul Eater Maka (x3), Jiminthusiast, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765.**


	89. Chapter 89

**AN:** Hey guys! Sorry it took me a lil longer! I wrote something completely different, hated it, so I wrote something completely new! I'm trying to squeeze in as many updates as I can before I go on a trip starting on the fourth of july! I won't be back until july 31st! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 89

Baby Talk

Lucy jumped for joy as the last inch of snow was mere feet in front of her. Finally she had escaped the evil, white fluffiness and was back to seeing green. Before, she grew to hate the color green from all of her walking in the East Forest, but after that snowy hell, she was glad to see its return.

"I'm exhausted. Can we take a break?" Lucy whined. Even though she was in much better shape now, her legs were beginning to tire.

"We just took a break an hour ago," Natsu replied. "We aren't even halfway to Dawn City because you keep makin' us take breaks. Let's just keep walking."

"But I'm tired!"

"Too bad! We've got places to be!"

"But Natsu-"

"Nope. I'm not listening!" The boy covered his ears with his hands and continued walking.

"Natsu! Listen to me, you jerk!" Lucy said, trying to pry his hands away so that he could listen to her whining. Unfortunately, he was stronger than her.

So, she resorted to other methods of getting what she wanted. Channeling her inner Happy, the blonde did all that she could to annoy her partner. She poked him nonstop, continued calling out to him, and tugged on his pink tufts of hair. She could tell that it was working as his eye twitched from the hundredth poke.

"Natsu, Natsu! Let's take a break, Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. She opened her mouth to speak again when suddenly, she was grabbed and thrown over the dragon slayer's shoulder. "Hey! Let me go!"

"Nope," Natsu replied, his hands dangerously close to her rear to keep her from falling. "You were acting like a baby, so now you're getting treated like one."

"This isn't how you hold babies!"

"Eh, close enough."

Lucy began pounding on his back, demanding that he let her go. All of the blood was starting to rush to her head, she didn't like it.

Happy snickered, flying by her face. "That's what you get for being annoying, Lucy. You should learn to be more mature like us."

"I don't want to hear that from you, demon cat!"

"That's just cruel!"

Lucy stopped struggling in Natsu's hold, knowing that she wouldn't win. She had even tried tickling the boy, but nothing worked.

"Could you at least carry me a different way?" Lucy asked.

Natsu rolled his eyes. "You really are a baby, Luce." Still, he complied, knowing that her head would probably start hurting if he continued that way. He carefully put the girl back down before crouching in front of her.

"It's fine, Natsu. I can walk," Lucy assured. She would've felt bad if she made him carry her on his back, even if her feet were killing her.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get on already, will ya? We're burning daylight over here with your constant complaining."

"You don't have to-"

"Will you just jump on already?"

Lucy bit back a smile and nodded, jumping onto Natsu's back. His warm hands grasped the bottom of her thighs as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on top of his. Her feet felt relieved immediately.

"Happy now, ya big baby?" Natsu teased.

"Very," Lucy answered with a grin. "Now quit calling me a baby! They scare me!"

"I thought you love kids!" Happy said with a tilt of his head.

"Well I do. When they've grown up a bit. But newborn babies make me a little nervous."

"Why?"

"They just seem really fragile. I don't trust myself around one by myself."

"Really?" Natsu questioned. "You've never pictured yourself having kids?"

"Sure I have a couple of times," Lucy answered. With a shrug, she continued, "But back on Earth, I was so focused on my career, I'd never even had a boyfriend before. So kids were just off the table for me. What about you?"

Natsu thought back to when he was with Igneel. Back then, he was just a kid having the time of his life, he never stopped to consider his future. And once he met Happy, all he had on his mind was finding Igneel, not dating and having kids.

Though, now that he met Lucy, things were different. He wasn't saying he was ready for marriage or anything of the sort, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't see it in his future. He often pictured settling down, getting married, and even raising a family of their own one day.

"I guess lately I've been picturing having kids," Natsu answered with a shrug.

"Really?" Lucy replied, her cheeks dusted pink. "H-How many do you picture?"

A wide, toothy grin settled on the boy's face. "Lots!"

"That's a lot to ask of your future wife, you know!'

Natsu shrugged again, smirking. "Maybe. But she's tough, she can handle it."

Lucy blushed from head to toe. Butterflies swarmed in the pit of her stomach, knowing that he was referring to her as his future wife. "Kn-Knowing you, you'll want to give your kids weird names."

"Hey! I would be awesome at naming our kids, thank you very much!"

Lucy swooned at the word _our._ "Oh yeah? Let's hear some baby names then!"

"Okay! How about Flame Boy?"

"That's a super hero name, idiot!"

"What? You think you got any better!?"

Lucy pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm… How about Margaret?"

"We're naming our future _babies,_ Luce, not eighty-year old women," Natsu teased.

"I like that name! And you've only given a lame super hero name!"

"It's not lame!"

"It's very lame!"

The two bickered, barely hearing when Happy spoke next.

"Nashi," the exceed said with a smile. "That's what you should name your kid."

"Na…shi?" Natsu repeated, testing the name for himself. The name brought a grin to his face. "Nashi. I like it, Happy!"

"Nashi, huh?" Lucy mused. A smile graced her face. "It is kinda cute. Where'd you come up with that?"

"It's your names put together," Happy answered with a shrug.

"Not the most meaningful name, but it's better than some name generator! Our daughter, Nashi!"

"What if we have a boy?" Natsu asked. He personally hoped they would have a son. They could wrestle, pick on Lucy, and have eating contests. Girls were too confusing.

"Don't have to worry about that. I know we'll have a girl."

"How do you know?"

"Because I want a girl and I'm the MVP baby-maker, so I get to choose!"

"That's not how it works, even I know that!"

"Well it does now!" Lucy said. Having a daughter sounded like fun. She could dress her up, they could have tea parties, and girls were just easier to understand. Boys were too confusing.

Lucy wrapped her arms tighter around Natsu as he continued to talk about baby names with Happy. Having a kid anytime soon was out of the picture, but it was nice to indulge herself in such fantasies. Her parents weren't around, and she was going to make sure that if she had a kid, she would be the best damn mom she could be.

Lucy figured it was the same for Natsu. The boy had no clue who his biological parents were, and the dragon that took him in suddenly vanished one day. She could only assume Natsu would try to do everything in his power to be a better parent than the ones he was given. Not that Lucy believed Igneel to a bad parent. On the contrary, he sounded like a wonderful father. She just figured Natsu would try to be there for his child in ways Igneel wasn't.

"Lucy? Earthland to Lucy?" Happy called out, swishing his tail across Lucy's face. The blonde jolted at the tickling sensation.

"Sorry, I was spacing out," she said with a chuckle.

"That's okay! Natsu and I were just asking you what you would name your son!"

Lucy's mouth moved on its own as she answered, "Lucas." She never stopped to think about what she would name her future son, but found herself blurting the name out. "I think that name sounds nice."

"Eh, it's alright," Natsu joked with a grin. In truth, he actually like that name. It reminded him of Lucy's name. "I like the name Ryder. What about you, Happy?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the cat said. "Your son should be named Happy Jr. after his uncle!"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "There's no way I would go through intense labor just to name my child Happy Jr. Nashi was good though. I'll give you that."

"So it's settled!" Natsu exclaimed. "If we have a daughter, we'll name her Nashi! And if we have a son, we'll name him either Lucas or Ryder!"

"What made you think of the name Ryder?"

Natsu crossed his arms behind his head and craned his head to look up at the sky. The sky was a pale blue, full of fluffy clouds that covered the sun. A sudden gust of wind blew through his pink locks of hair, nostalgia washing over him.

"I was thinking about stuff that was important to me," Natsu answered. "And I thought about when I used to ride on Igneel's back and we would fly through the sky. Ryder."

Lucy's eyes widened and her mouth hung open like a fish out of water. Hearing Natsu's reasoning moved her. It wasn't just some name that sounded nice, it was something that he put a lot of thought into. A warm smile stretched over her face. Having Natsu be the father of her children one day would be wonderful.

"Nashi and Ryder. I like it," Lucy said softly. "And if we somehow end up having another son- which by the way, two is my limit- but if the unexpected happens, we can name our second son Lucas."

"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed, throwing a flaming fist high in the air.

* * *

Once finding a campsite for the night, Natsu and Happy went to fetch firewood while Lucy arranged the sleeping bags. They were just outside of Dawn City. Next they would have to walk to Gallowstown for a short train ride to Crocus.

Then she could meet the King.

Lucy paused fluffing her pillow as a thought crossed her mind.

" _How exactly am I going to talk to the King?"_

King Heartfilia supposedly closed the castle's gates to everyone. How would she be able to get in? Sure, she could try to reason with the guards, but she had a feeling that wouldn't do her any good. After all, she was the one that broke the curse the King granted himself. He wouldn't be happy to see her.

There was always the option of storming the castle.

Lucy shook her head and slapped a hand to her forehead.

" _I'm really beginning to think like Natsu and Happy!"_ Lucy released a sigh, resuming her task of getting their sleeping bags ready. " _I'll try to reason with the guards at first, and if they don't listen, then we'll have no choice but to sneak in."_

Lucy didn't doubt their ability to do so. Natsu was one of the strongest mages she knew, and she was improving every day. Surely they could beat some mere guards if it came down to it.

When Natsu and Happy returned, the three settled around the campfire, sharing more stories of their past. It reminded Lucy of when she first started to get close to them. It was right before they met Lisanna and Elfman. She revealed why she needed to go back home to get published and look for her parents and Natsu told her about Igneel and why he resorted to stealing.

Oh how the times had changed.

"I gotta pee," Happy said, lazily flying away from the two to go pee in a bush.

Lucy wondered what the cat would be like if he went to her world and wasn't able to use his magic. " _I guess he'd just be an ordinary cat. He'd hate not being able to fly."_

"Hey, wanna stay up and wait for Happy to fall asleep?" Natsu asked, bringing her out of her thoughts. She turned towards him, finding a smirk resting on his face.

Warmth spread through her body, a tingling sensation erupting in the pit of her stomach. "I don't know. As fun as it was talking about baby names, I'm nowhere near ready to have a kid and we haven't exactly been the safest."

Natsu shrugged, giving her a bright grin. "Then we can just sleep together. Like actually sleep. I just wanna be next to you."

Lucy flushed from head to toe, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. "O-Okay."

And just as they agreed, Lucy carefully snuck out of her sleeping bag the moment Happy dozed off to sleep. With a light feeling in her heart, she quietly snuggled into Natsu's sleeping bag. He immediately wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he kissed the back of her head. While the sex they had was nice, she thought moments like these were better.

"Night, Luce," Natsu whispered into her ear.

"Goodnight, Natsu."

* * *

 **AN:** Just a little something more heartfelt instead of what I was originally going to do! Hope you guys liked the chapter! Also, next chapter is the last filler, then things reeeeally start picking up! Please review. :')

Thanks to those that reviewed: **animefan393939, ChiliR612, shootingstarssel, Alexa60765, MasterGildarts, narutoyaoifan, naluloverr, Juvia is my spirit animal (x3), Guest, Nalulove (x2), Soul Eater Maka.** If it weren't for you reviewers, I probably would've dropped this story a while ago tbh but you guys are always so nice to me. :') SO THANK YOU!


	90. Chapter 90

**AN:** Hello everyone! Guess who is back from their trip! :D Enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 90

Swimming

Lucy's eyes fluttered open the next morning, immediately met with Natsu's sleeping face. He was using one arm as a pillow and had the other draped over her side, providing her with warmth. He seemed so at peace, his mouth parted, drool trickling out of it.

" _He's really cute when he sleeps,"_ Lucy thought, moving her hand to brush away some of his hair out of his face when his eyes suddenly opened, black boring into brown.

"Morning, Luce," Natsu said, giving her a bright grin. "Whatcha doin' in my sleeping bag?"

"I guess I passed out before I could go back into mine," Lucy answered, smiling warmly at him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Amazingly," Natsu replied, pulling her closer against him and burying his face in her hair. She always smelled so good, like a mixture of strawberries and honey.

Lucy wrapped her arms around him in a hug, gently tracing her fingertips over his back in a swirling pattern while Natsu played with the ends of her hair. Their bodies were against each other and Natsu couldn't help but get a little excited. Though with Lucy, he wasn't embarrassed about it.

The girl's eyes widened and a blush stained her cheeks as she felt something prodding her thigh. "Is that-"

"Yep," Natsu interrupted.

Lucy pulled away from him enough to peek at him through her lashes. Natsu moved towards her, pressing his lips against hers in a raw kiss. His hand ventured towards her bum, sliding underneath the hem of her pants and grabbing her soft flesh.

Brushing Lucy's golden hair behind her, Natsu kissed the shell of her ear, causing a shiver to course through her body. A smirk danced on his face from her reaction.

"Well? Nashi, Ryder, and Lucas are waitin' to be made," Natsu joked, squeezing her bum.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Well they're going to have to wait a lot longer. Besides, I'm not going to do anything with Happy sleeping five feet away from us."

"You're right. You moan too loudly, you'd wake him up."

Lucy's face flushed with heat. "I-I do not."

"Do too," Natsu argued with a smug grin. His eyes darted to her mouth, where the wonderful sounds would come from. "It's okay though. It's really hot when you do."

"Really?"

"Duh. Drives me crazy. Makes me wanna make you scream my name."

An ache erupted between Lucy's legs and she squirmed to try to relieve it. Oh how she wished she and Natsu were alone so that she could indulge herself. But for now, teasing was all she could do.

Wrapping her hand around Natu's bulge, she gave him a sultry smile and stroked him a bit before scrambling out of the sleeping bag. Knowing that he was in the mood turned her on, and she couldn't help but want to torture him a bit.

Winking at him, Lucy turned towards Happy and gently prodded him awake so that they could get a move on.

Meanwhile, Natsu grinned as he stared at the sky, trying to calm his erratic heart and lose the tense coil in his groin before Happy could see it. He loved when Lucy teased him, but he would definitely have to get her back for it later.

"Morning, Happy," Lucy said, petting the cat's head.

"Good morning," he mumbled in reply.

"C'mon, it's time to get ready to go. We've only got a little more walking left."

They would be stopping on the outskirts of Gallowstown to set up camp for tonight and then take the train the next morning to finally reach Crocus.

The three quickly packed their things before continuing their journey. The tall grass tickled their legs while the mosquitos relentlessly attempted to suck their blood. Lucy was a hot, sweating, bed-bite-ridden mess after the first hour.

Lucy frowned, looking at the red bumps on her fair skin. Glancing towards Natsu to see the damage, she was surprised that he didn't have a single bug bite on him.

"How are you not getting bitten?" she asked. "I'm being eaten alive over here!"

Natsu glanced at her and chuckled. "I can see that. I think my body is too hot for them. And when one gets brave and lands on me, I turn up by body heat to scare it off."

"That's it. Teach my dragon slaying magic! I need to know that trick!"

"Dragon slaying magic does have a lot of benefits," Happy mused. "Better hearing and smelling abilities, really strong attacks, the possibility to replenish your magic after eating your element. Dragon slaying magic has it all."

"Dragon slaying magic is the best magic!" Natsu said with a wide grin. "Especially if it's taught by a real dragon, unlike Cobra."

"Would you trade your magic for Natsu's, Lucy?" Happy asked.

The blonde shook her head immediately. "Even though Natsu's magic may be more efficient than mine, my magic allowed me to make so many wonderful friends. The spirits are dear friends to me, I would never trade my bond with them, even if it was for the world's strongest magic."

Natsu grinned. "Good answer. Your magic suits you anyways."

"Mhmm! Besides, my magic is plenty strong, too! Especially now that I know Star Dress!"

"I wish I had other magic," Happy said with a frown. He'd always thought his magic to be weak. Sure, flying was helpful but took a lot of his energy and it didn't give him any offensive abilities. There were plenty times he wished he could fight with his friends, only to be reminded his magic only granted him wings.

Natsu ruffled the cat's fur, giving him an assuring grin. "Your magic is awesome though, Happy! Lucy and I would be goners by now if it wasn't for you saving our butts all the time!"

"That's true," the blonde agreed with a nod. "You've saved us a bunch of times! And it's not just us! Remember when you saved Juvia by getting me to the water? None of the stories would've been completed without you!"

Happy frowned. "Yeah, I'm good for running away or helping _other_ people save people. But I have no offensive magic."

"You don't need it," Natsu said. "And your magic is for saving people, not runnin' away. Your magic is awesome, buddy! But if you really wanna learn more magic to help defend yourself then I'm willing to help you out!"

"Really?"

"Hell yeah! I don't know if I can teach you dragon slaying magic, but I'm sure I could help you learn normal fire magic!"

"Yeah! Then I can help beat the bad guys!"

"You could be called Catmander!"

The two gushed about the possibilities with Happy learning a new type of magic. Lucy watched, a smile gracing her face. Natsu always knew what to say when it came to cheering people up and it warmed her heart to be able to watch him help someone.

The three walked in a comfortable silence. Save for the relentless mosquitos, it was a wonderful day to be outside. The warm sun wasn't too harsh and there was a light breeze blowing through their hair.

Hours passed, the sun slowly starting to set, painting the sky a beautiful shade of scarlet that reminded Lucy of a certain friend of theirs. She kept her gaze on her footing, only looking up when she heard Happy gasp. Not too far ahead, there was a small lake, its water shimmering under the sunlight and drawing them in with its gentle waves.

"We can spare an hour to swim, right?" Natsu asked, turning towards Lucy and giving her a beaming grin. The eagerness was written on his face.

"I guess we can," Lucy replied. She couldn't deny that she was dying to dip her toes in the water as well.

With that, the three were racing towards the lake, Natsu flinging his clothes off as he ran. Lucy kicked off her boots and her socks but chose to keep her clothes on. She didn't own a bathing suit since she hasn't exactly had time to go for a swim before with the storybook and whatnot.

Natsu smiled from cheek to cheek as he approached the water. Jumping high in the air, he brought his knees to his chest and cannonballed right into the lake, water flying around him and splashing onto Happy, who was flying beside him. Boisterous laughter filled the air as he jumped and kicked and splashed around. Even fire dragons loved the water.

"Look, Lucy! I'm like Juvia!" Natsu exclaimed as he tried to make a big wave with his arms.

Lucy playfully rolled her eyes. She was standing in the shallow part of the lake, the water reaching her knees. She didn't want the water to touch her clothes, absolutely hating the feeling of her clothes clinging to her. And she definitely wasn't going to go skinny-dipping with Happy around.

Happy, on the other hand, submerged himself in the water with ease. Despite normal cats hating water, the exceed loved swimming. He only wished he brought his fishing materials with him from Tulle. It was the perfect opportunity to catch some yummy fish.

"Lucy, get over here!" Natsu shouted. He was deeper in the lake, the water reaching his neck.

"No thanks!" the blonde called back. "I don't want my clothes to get wet."

"Who cares if they get wet? C'mon, let's race!"

"Nope!"

Natsu and Happy shared a quick glance, the meaning behind which being understood quickly. Happy flew out of the water- which was hard since his wings were heavy after he was in the water- and headed towards Lucy. The blonde seemed to know where this was headed and tried to escape from the evil exceed's clutches, but it was to no avail. Happy grabbed the shrieking girl by her clothes and flew her towards the center of the lake where the water was the deepest. Dropping her feet above the water, he and Natsu cackled, watching Lucy fall into the water.

Lucy's head emerged from the water quickly, her golden locks of hair matted to her face. Glaring at Natsu and Happy, who were laughing at her misery, she swam towards them in hopes of throttling them. Unfortunately for her, Natsu was a faster swimmer than she was and Happy had his wings to his advantage.

Knowing that she wouldn't be content until she got her revenge, Lucy grabbed a golden key from her keyring. Natsu and Happy gulped knowing which key she was holding.

"H-Hey now," Natsu stammered, sweat dripping down his face in fear. "There's no need to go that far."

"Aye," Happy agreed, inching away from the vengeful blonde. "Besides, that demon mermaid will drag you into her attack too!"

Lucy, having known that Happy's assumptions were a likely possibility, shrugged and thrusted the key into the water anyways. She needed revenge, even if she had to go down doing it.

"Aquarius!" Lucy shouted. There was a bright light, which reflected off of the water almost blindingly. The mermaid appeared, standing tall and stout. As usual, she seemed ticked off.

Aquarius glanced around. Evergreen trees surrounded them and there was a beautiful sunset in the background. The water was also nice and clean. For once, her owner summoned her from a pretty nice place.

" _I guess I won't go dragging her down this time,"_ Aquarius thought with a smug grin. She stared down Natsu and Happy, who were clutching each other in fear of the mermaid's wrath. With a huff, she gathered the water in her earn and sent it straight towards the two in a barreling typhoon.

The water was harsh and sent them flying out of the lake, landing on the ground. The two groaned, dizzy after the attack.

Aquarius turned to Lucy, who was obviously stunned that she didn't drag her into the attack. Not wanting to appear soft, the mermaid glared at her owner.

"You're lucky you summoned me somewhere nice this time," she said, getting in Lucy's face and planting her hands on her hips. "But don't go summoning me every time you have a fight with your boyfriend, got it?"

"A-Aye!" Lucy replied, taking Happy's catchphrase. With that, Aquarius left with a huff, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Lucy then turned towards her partners. Happy was sprawled on the dirt while Natsu was folding up in a weird position. With a smug grin, the blonde swam towards them and walked out of the water, standing over them.

"What did we learn today, boys?" she asked, enjoying her revenge.

"Never drag you into the water," they replied in unison, their voices weak.

"Good. Now let's go. It's time to continue!"

Natsu and Happy groaned as they stood up. Despite the slight ache of their bodies, they couldn't help but find it amusing that Lucy would summon her cranky spirit just to get them back. She fit in perfectly with them.

After Natsu dried them up with his magic, the three were on their way once again.

* * *

Once it was too dark to continue, Natsu decided it was time to set up camp. He could just use his magic to make a small fire and lead the way, but that would drain him of tomorrow's energy.

"Well, you guys know what to do," Lucy said, smiling at her partners. They had set up camp a million times, they knew the routine. Natsu and Happy would get firewood for the campfire while she would set up the sleeping bags.

"We'll be back!" Natsu replied, giving a quick grin before going his way.

Once the two were gone, Lucy smiled. Though it was creepy being alone at night, she quite enjoyed this time to herself. She loved her partners, but sometimes she just needed her space.

With the gentle starlight shining down on her, Lucy did her best to set up camp. All she had to do was unravel their sleeping bags, it wasn't like she needed a whole lot of light. Grabbing her backpack, Lucy went to reach into it to grab her sleeping back when a twig suddenly snapped behind her.

Lucy was startled for a brief moment but recovered quickly, grabbing her sleeping bag from her bag and chalking the noise up to be a small animal. She unraveled her sleeping bag and placed her beloved baby blanket on top of it, along with her small pillow. She was about to do the same with Natsu's sleeping bag when another twig snapped behind her.

Only this time it was closer.

Lucy froze, listening carefully for any other sounds. She was starting to get a bit spooked out. For some reason, something told her that the sounds she was hearing weren't coming from an animal.

"Natsu? Happy?" the girl called out, rising to her feet. She felt too vulnerable kneeling on the ground. "Are you guys there?"

Silence was her reply.

" _Maybe it was just an animal,"_ Lucy thought. Her heart was beating slightly faster than before and she was admittedly jumpy.

Hesitantly, she bent down to unravel Natsu's sleeping bag when the sound returned, this time coming from her left.

Lucy's brows furrowed in frustration as she whipped her head around, trying to find the source of the noises. Placing her hands on her hips, she glared ahead of her.

"Knock it off, you guys," Lucy said. Her patience was running thin and her fear was building up. A twig snapped to her right this time, causing her heart to leap up to her throat. "That's not funny! Come out here already!"

Seeing as how her prankster partners weren't coming out, Lucy decided to try to feel out their magic. Unfortunately, this was still one of her lower suits. Even though she had excellent control with her own magic, it was hard using it to try to find other people. Screwing her eyes shut, she searched within a nearby radius.

Sure enough, there were two sources of magical power near her.

"Natsu! Happy! Stop messing with me!" Lucy demanded, opening her eyes. Perhaps this was their version of revenge after what happened with Aquarius. Whatever it was they were trying to do though, it wasn't funny in the slightest.

" _Something's not right…"_ Lucy thought, her heart thumping wildly in her chest, but not in the good way. Even though her partners were stubborn and loved pranking her, she didn't believe that they would go this far. She was clearly terrified out of her wits, surely they wouldn't want that.

Lucy closed her eyes again and tried to feel out for their magic again so as to find their location. Still not having the ability to do so perfected yet, she ended up expanding her area of search instead on accident. To her surprise, there were four more sources of magical power not too far from where she was at. Focusing on the new sources of magic, Lucy's heart stopped and her body began to tremble.

Out of the four presences farther from where she was, she faintly recognized two of them to be Natsu and Happy's.

" _If that's Natsu and Happy…"_ Lucy thought, swallowing thickly. " _…Then who are the people by me?"_

With fear clutching her heart, Lucy slowly opened her eyes, only to be met with a large flash of green light.

* * *

 **AN:** Things are starting to get real, huh? ;D Who do you think are the people with Lucy? ;) And I 100% plan on updating soon because I have a bunch of chapters outlined already! See you next time! :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, shootingstarssel, DemonicSpider, TheDesperado64, Em-marie45, Alexa60765, narutoyaoifan, stranger1999, Soul Eater Maka, Guest, MasterGildarts, animequeen100, Nalulove, Guest, stphie, HollyDragneel, Juvia is my spirit animal.** Apparently the last chapter was one of your guys' favs! I'm glad I scrapped my original idea for that chapter and came up with the baby names instead! :D


	91. Chapter 91

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D This update took me longer than I expected because I still dislike writing battles and this whole chapter is a battle scene and yeah I struggled A LOT! But, I'm excited to continue with this story! :D

* * *

Chapter 91

Ambushed

Lucy groaned as she clutched her pounding head. Her body was folded like a pretzel and it was perhaps one of the most uncomfortable positions she had ever been in. Opening her eyes, she was met with dark wood right in front of her face as she was cramped in a familiar place- or _spirit._

"Horologium?" Lucy called out,

"I apologize for suddenly grabbing you. I sensed a powerful attack and acted as fast as I could."

Lucy gasped as she turned her head and peered through Horologium's glass to find that much of the trees surrounding them were eradicated. Smoke rose from the embers of the burning trees.

"I'm afraid time is up," Horologium announced. "I am unable to help again. Please be careful, Lucy."

Suddenly, the spirit left in a puff of smoke, leaving Lucy to plop on the ground with a thud. Realizing that she was naked, the girl squealed and tried to cover up as much of her body as she could. Finding her clothes on the ground, she quickly gathered them and haphazardly threw them on.

Once she was clothed, Lucy glanced around, surprised to find two strangers staring at her. She would've been mortified that they had just seen her naked if it hadn't been for the sheer magical power rolling off of them in strong waves. Their individual presences were strong, and she couldn't help but gulp and take a step backwards.

"Who are you?" Lucy demanded, her hand landing on her keys.

"That is of unimportance," one of the men replied. He was a tall man with dark skin and brown hair that looked like blocks coming out of his head and had a medium-length beard. He wore crescent moon shaped earrings, orange pants, and a green tunic. Over his left eye was a brown streak. "What matters is _your_ identity, in fact."

The man standing next to him was pale in skin and large in weight. In fact, all of his features were large. His hair was long, black, and coarse. Drool dripped from his mouth as he stared at Lucy like she was a piece of meat, though it was probably because he just saw her naked.

"My identity? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lucy questioned.

"You will come to find out in due time. For now, I'm afraid we'll have to be taking you back with us, Miss Lucy," the tanned man replied.

"How do you know my name? What identity is it you're talking about? Is it me being the savior?"

"Again, you will find out soon."

Lucy grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes at the man. "Answer me!"

The man sighed. "We are here to bring you back to our master. We will take you by force if necessary."

"I'd like to see you try!"

The man grinned, stepping forward. "Alright. Though, I don't like to fight people, especially women, without telling them my name. I am Azuma. Kain, let me handle this."

"But I want to fight her too!" the larger man protested.

"Don't worry, I can handle her alone."

Lucy scoffed, hating how arrogant this Azuma guy was. Grabbing her trusty whip, it was time to teach the jerk a lesson.

Azuma gave an amused grin at the sight of her whip before beginning his attack. Extending an arm forward, a sprout burst through his hand and flew towards Lucy at an incredible speed. The blonde gasped before jumping out of the way and dodging it by a hair.

Lucy thrust her whip towards Azuma and wrapped it skillfully around his wrist. With a smug grin, she was about to yank on her whip when suddenly, the ground below her began to shake. In seconds, large roots shot from the ground and wrapped around her ankles.

"What the-!" Lucy cried.

"Chain Burst," Azuma said. Explosions traveled down the roots towards Lucy's ankles.

"Taurus!" Lucy cried, swinging the key into the air. In the nick of time, the spirit appeared and immediately swung his ax down on the roots before they could damage Lucy's legs with their explosions. "Taurus, I need you to go for the roots and trees while I go for Azuma!"

"Alright!" the spirit replied.

Lucy lunged forward, ready to attack with her whip. Azuma sent a large root to attack, but Taurus slashed it away, giving the blonde an opening. Or so she thought. Azuma grinned, sending a barrage of roots towards her. Taurus tried to slash them all down, but his specialty lied in his strength, not his speed. He couldn't keep up with the oncoming attacks. A root managed to get by the spirit, flying towards Lucy and piercing her shoulder.

Lucy cried out in pain as the root retracted itself from her shoulder. Blood dripped onto the soil. Even though it hurt, Lucy knew she would be alright. She had sustained much worse injuries before, and the shoulders were one of the safest spots to be punctured.

"Taurus, go back. I need someone faster," Lucy said. The spirit appeared hesitant but obeyed.

Lucy wasn't sure who to summon. Cancer was much faster than Taurus, but his strength was low and she doubted his scissors were strong enough for the thicker roots Azuma sent her way. Sagittarius' arrows could prove to be helpful with his accuracy and speed, but just as Cancer's scissors, they lacked strength. The most logical spirit to summon would be Loke.

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Loke!" Lucy shouted. In seconds, Loke was standing by her side.

"How do you want to go about this, Lucy?" Loke asked. He had been watching their fight and already knew of Azuma's powers.

"I'm not sure. He is really fast. I can't reach him."

"I'll try to make an opening for you. You ready?"

"Ready," Lucy answered, placing Loke's key on her chest and using her Star Dress spell. With that, she lunged towards Azuma again, who sent thick roots her way. Just as Loke promised, he incinerated the oncoming roots with his lethal, lit-up fists.

Lucy was just two feet in front of her opponent. Welling Regulus' magic into her leg, the blonde thrust it towards Azuma. Unfortunately, his magic was great in defense as well. He created a large shield of intertwined roots to block the attack.

Recovering quickly, Lucy continued kicking and punching through Azuma's defenses, trying to get at least one hit in. To her dismay, he was faster than her. He was strong, stronger than anyone she had ever went up against before. Not to mention that he had a teammate to help out if she did end up beating him.

" _What do I do?"_ Lucy jumped away from Azuma, trying to come up with a plan. What was she supposed to do against someone was faster than her and had stronger attacks? " _I could use Urano Metria, but if he can shield himself, I would've wasted a lot of my energy. But if I pull it off, I can take down both of these guys at once and go help Natsu."_

"Loke, follow my lead!" Lucy shouted. Closing her eyes, she continued, "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens…"

The spirit nodded, knowing what he had to do. He had to fend off Azuma's attacks so that Lucy could finish the incantation and make sure that he couldn't defend himself.

Azuma smirked, watching as Lucy continued her chant. Magic was rolling off of the girl now. She truly was a strong girl.

But not strong enough.

Loke watched as Azuma extended both arms to his sides. On the tip of his toes, he waited for an attack. What happened next happened in a flash. The ground below him shook, and before Loke could attempt to dodge, fire shot out of the earth, engulfing his whole body and reaching the sky.

Loke cursed himself as he was sent back through his gate.

"I'm sorry, Lucy…"

Being sent back to the Spirit World, Loke rushed through the crowd of spirits, trying to find a specific one. Things were getting bad for Lucy, and this was the only way he could help now. Once he found Virgo, he stopped.

"Virgo! Lucy needs your help! Go!" he shouted.

"My magic is not suited for someone like him," Virgo replied with a frown.

"I know, but you're the only option left! Lucy already tried Taurus, and he was sent back because he isn't fast enough. There's no water for Aquarius to go! You're the only one left that can open their own gate! Help Lucy! She's almost done casting Urano Metria!"

Virgo nodded, opening her own gate and passing through. Loke stood, his fists clenched. He had failed his master and he felt terrible.

" _It's time,"_ he thought, his stomach churning with anxiety. "Of all the times for _them_ to make an appearance…"

* * *

Lucy, having heard what happened and feeling the sheer heat of the flames, kept her eyes screwed shut and continued the incantation. She wouldn't let Loke's attempts go to waste. She was close, _so close._ But now she was exposed.

Lucy could feel roots emerge from the ground, probably coming her way, but she kept focused. Even if one was to stab her again, she was going to make sure to finish her spell. Through closed lids, she could see light suddenly appear in front of her.

"I'm here, Princess!" Virgo exclaimed. "Stay focused on your task and try not to slip up as I carry you!"

Virgo dug a hole just below Lucy, avoiding the roots. Unfortunately, Azuma had mastered earth magic and raised the soil beneath Lucy once again. Virgo specialized in defense, but she would do her best to keep Lucy safe until she finished the spell.

Lucy had trouble with the incantation as her body kept being moved without her will thanks to Virgo and Azuma changing the ground below her, but she was finally reaching the end.

"Oh 88 Stars of the Heaven… Shine!"

Lucy felt the earth rumble from her attack. When her magic died down, she opened her eyes. What she saw was shocking.

A large dome made of thick trees began to open up, revealing an unscathed Azuma. Next to the dome stood Kain, his body made of steel.

"That was a strong attack you used," Kain said. "But it couldn't bring down steel."

"I, too, am unhurt," Azuma added. "And it appears that spell was your ace in the hole. It's over, Lucy."

Fear gripped Lucy's heart. She took a step back from the two, but she didn't have a clue as to what to do. She was running low on magical power and she had called on too many spirits. Turning around, Lucy bolted in an attempt to get away from them. If she couldn't beat them, she had no choice but to run.

Azuma sighed. He wanted to keep fighting, but it appeared that his opponent was out of attacks. He couldn't waste any more time anyways. Hades was waiting. Extending an arm forward, he easily trapped Lucy's ankle with roots, causing her to trip with a yelp. To make things easier, he tangled up her arms and legs with the roots. With a snap, they exploded over her body, damaging her as well.

Once the smoke cleared, Lucy was unconscious and limp.

"We have the Princess," Azuma said with a sinister grin. "Now let's bring her back."

"I'll send out the signal," Kain replied. He pointed a flare into the air and shot it off.

"Let's go."

* * *

 _[Forty minutes ago]_

Natsu and Happy scavenged the forest floor for the best sticks to use for their campfire. Instead of pulling off tree branches, it was better to take the dead branches that had already broken off.

Natsu bent down to pick up a branch when two unfamiliar scents filled his nostrils. They were close. Feeling out their magical power, he found that the two were strong. A twig snapped, prompting him to turn on his heel towards the intruders.

"Who the hell are you guys? Show yourselves," he demanded. "I can smell you. You can't hide yourselves from a dragon slayer."

"N-Natsu?" Happy asked, stepping closer to his friend. There was something wrong.

There was a rustling behind one of the trees when two boys stepped out from behind. One of them had long hair that reminded Natsu of Gajeel's hair, except that it was blonde. His eyes were also similar to Gajeel's with their crimson shade of red, but this man's pupils had concentric circles around them. He had a crazed look with his scary looking eyes and his sinister grin.

The man next to him was tall and lanky, his hair silver and neatly combed. Unlike his comrade, who wore unusual clothes that stood out like a sore thumb, this guy took care in what he wore. He wore designer shades, a dark coat with fur trimmings, and white gloves. Rather than giving a crazed look, this guy appeared calm and arrogant.

"A dragon slayer, huh?" the blonde remarked, his voice condescending. "Was that supposed to be impressive or something?"

"I'm only going to ask one more time. Who the hell are you guys?" Natsu repeated, cracking his knuckles and giving them a harsh glare. He could immediately tell that these guys spelled trouble. He had to check on Lucy.

"We're part of an underground group that's after the world's strongest and rarest magic."

"And you're here for me?"

The blonde peeled over in maniacal laughter, clutching his stomach. "Don't flatter yourself! You're a nobody! Your magic is old news!"

"The hell did you just say!?" Natsu shouted.

"Who cares about dragon slayers when there are god slayers in the world?"

"You're a god slayer?" Happy asked.

"Damn right, cat."

"Are you here for Happy?" Natsu asked, his fists licked in flames.

"Happy? You mean the cat? What are you, stupid? We came for the Lost Princess."

Natsu and Happy's eyes widened, their breaths going short. They were here for Lucy? Not only did they know who she was, but they knew of her location. They must've known about her return the moment she stepped foot in Earthland. Who the hell were these people?

"What do you want with Lucy?" Natsu sneered. His heart was beating fast. Feeling for the girl's magic, he was devasted to find that there were two others with her. " _Damn it! I never should've left her alone!"_

"Rustyrose, I can handle this guy," the blonde said with a crazed look in his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this alone, Zancrow?" Rustyrose asked.

Zancrow gave him a harsh stare. "Huh? Are you saying that I can't beat a loser like this?"

"Of course not. But the faster we beat him, the faster we join the others and get the girl to Hades."

"Don't worry. With a weakling like this, I can finish him in seconds."

"Bring it," Natsu challenged.

Zancrow grinned, holding his arms out to the side. Black flames engulfed his arms, the likes that they had never seen before. In a swift motion, Zancrow shot his flames towards Natsu.

"Looks like you're the idiot!" Natsu shouted. "Fire doesn't work on a fire dragon slayer!"

Feeling confident, Natsu allowed the flames wash over his body. He was shocked to find that they were burning his skin. He opened his mouth, trying to consume the flames, but he couldn't.

"Ha! A dragon slayer can't eat a god's fire!" Zancrow mocked.

Once the black flames died down, Natsu's clothes were scorched. He hated to admit it, but Zancrow's flames were scalding. Still, this was a fight he couldn't afford to lose. Lighting his fists in fire, Natsu charged towards Zancrow, throwing punch after punch. Unfortunately, the other boy was able to block with only one arm.

Jumping back, Natsu lit both of his fists up and put them together, creating a large fireball.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" he shouted, throwing the fireball towards Zancrow.

Zancrow grinned, unfazed. Mimicking Natsu's actions, he shouted, "Fire God's Kagutsuchi!"

Their flames clashed, but Zancrow's overpowered Natsu's in the end. Fire burned down the trees surrounding them, black smoke filling the air. Natsu jumped out of the flames, now in worse condition than before.

Natsu clicked his tongue in annoyance. " _I can't spend too long on these jerks, I have to get to Lucy."_ But he didn't know what to do. Individually, he believed he could beat them, despite how bad it was looking right now. The problem was that there was no way he could beat both of them. They were strong opponents, stronger than he's ever dealt with. Even if he were to beat Zancrow quickly, he wouldn't be able to do it without sustaining injuries. Rustyrose would just finish the blow. And if by some miracle he was able to beat Rustyrose too, he wouldn't be able to do it fast enough to reach Lucy in time.

"Happy! Go help Lucy!" Natsu instructed. "Whatever these guys want with her, it isn't good! Fly her out of there and get help!"

Happy reluctantly nodded, knowing that it was something he had to do. He had faith in Natsu. Faith that he would emerge victorious. Wings spreading over his back, Happy took to the sky as fast as he could.

Zancrow scoffed in annoyance. He didn't know that the cat could fly. Letting him take the Princess would ruin their plans. Pointing a finger towards Happy, he shot some of his flames towards him, only for Natsu to jump in front of them and take the hit.

"Rusty!" Zancrow shouted. "The cat!"

The other boy nodded. "Pegasus Wings!" Wings emerged from his feet. He flew towards Happy at incredible speeds.

Natsu cursed below his breath, lunging towards Rustyrose. Before he could reach him, Zancrow covered him in flames. Rustyrose reached Happy and struck him down with ease. Happy crashed to the ground, unconscious.

"Happy!" Natsu cried. Anger washed over him and he turned a menacing glare onto Zancrow, who only cackled. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shot a fiery roar towards his opponent. Much to his surprise, Zancrow began to eat Natsu's flames.

"Fire God's Bellow!" Zancrow shouted, his flames flying towards Natsu. His attack had a large radius, Natsu couldn't dodge. His skin was sporting nasty burns and even worse than that, his precious scarf from Igneel had turned black.

"I'm gonna finish this! Fire God's Supper!" Zancrow shouts.

Before Natsu could even move, Zancrow's flames enveloped him in a sphere. He tried to escape, but he couldn't.

"You won't be released until you're dead," Zancrow said, grinning.

Natsu struggled, trying to eat the fire with no avail. His energy was running low and his body couldn't take much more of this. His eyes were threatening to close, but he needed to stay awake. He needed to win. He had to save Lucy and Happy.

An idea formed in Natsu's head, but it was risky. Still, it was the only option he had.

With deafening roars, he tried to pour out his magic.

"Huh? Are you trying to overpower my flames?" Zancrow asked, amused. "Ha! As if your measly flames could win against mine! You already tried that earlier!"

Natsu ignored him and kept releasing Fire Dragon Roars. He was already running low on magic, it shouldn't take too much longer. He just had to do it before he burned to death.

Pouring every ounce of magic he had left into this roar, Natsu let his last flame leave his body. He was officially out of magic.

"Oh? You dead now?" Zancrow asked. He was about to get rid of his spell when he heard a sucking sound. Soon enough, he saw his flames being pulled to the center of the orb while Natsu inhaled the flames. "W-What? How are you eating my fire!?"

"He purposely emptied his magical reserves," Rustyrose answered, his eyes wide and his mouth parted in shock. To think that somebody would do something so reckless.

Natsu ate every bit of fire that surrounded him, wiping his chin.

"Thanks for the meal," he said, his voice rough. With flames of a dragon in one hand and flames of a god in the other, he combined them together for the ultimate attack. This was his last chance. He would be out of energy after this, he had to make it count. "Dragon God's Brilliant Flame!"

Zancrow watched in horror as the mixture of orange and black flames came rushing towards him. A scream was at the tip of his tongue. Just as the fire was about to engulf him, a glint of yellow came into view as Rustyrose created his ultimate shield.

"Golden Shield!" Rustyrose shouted, just barely making it in time. The flames were strong and destructive, pushing him back and flying around them. The shield began to crack, making them anxious. Luckily, it pulled through to the end of Natsu's attack.

Natsu's eyes widened and he fell to his knees. Just what kind of shield was that to be able to fend off such an attack?

Eyes feeling heavy, Natsu fell to his side on the ground. All he could see were Zancrow's feet stepping closer to him before kicking him in the gut and sending him flying backwards.

"Ha! Looks like your luck's run out!" Zancrow mocked, kicking him again.

Natsu urged his body to move, but it was futile. His last attack only worked because he used up all of his energy. He was officially empty. He could barely even stay awake. Suffering kick after kick, Natsu was about to lose consciousness.

Suddenly, a streak of red painted the sky. It was a signal flare.

"Looks like they've got her," Rustyrose commented. "Let's go, Zancrow."

"Hold on, lemme get a few more kicks in!" the boy replied, a sinister grin glued to his face.

"No. Remember what Hades said? Jose wants the girl's friends kept alive."

"Tsch. Fine. Let's go."

Natsu wanted to shout. He wanted to move. He wanted to save Lucy.

But he couldn't.

All he could do was watch as Rustyrose and Zancrow strolled away, practically unharmed.

" _They have Lucy,"_ Natsu thought, his body breaking into a cold sweat. " _I have to save her… I have to…"_ His eyes were heavy, beginning to droop closed. Eventually, his eyes closed, darkness taking over.

Lucy was gone.

* * *

 **AN:** Yeah, imma go ahead and say that these were not some of my best battle scenes but I didn't want to spend any more time on them. :') Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review. :')

Thank you to those that reviewed last chapter: **stranger1999, animefan393939, shootingstarssel, Alexa60765, valerioux, narutoyaoifan, MasterGildarts, ThaDesperado64, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, Juvia is my spirit animal.**


	92. Chapter 92

**AN:** Hello everyone! :D Hope you like the quick update! ;D

* * *

Chapter 92

Reunion

A groan slipped past Natsu's lips as sunlight washed over his face. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils and his body was aching. Forcing his eyes to open, Natsu took in his surroundings, finding that the forest around him was scorched to ruins, smoke still rising from the embers.

Then it all hit him.

Strange men ambushed him and Happy while they were gathering firewood. They came for Lucy.

Lucy.

Natsu's eyes widened and he willed himself to sit up, but his body wouldn't listen to him. He was too injured and out of energy after purposely emptying his magical reserves in his fight with Zancrow. With a groan, he struggled to turn his head, finding Happy passed out. The poor exceed had dried blood on his head, probably from being knocked down so high from the sky.

"H-Happy," Natsu called out, his voice quiet and raspy. His mouth was dry, making it harder to talk. "Happy! Wake up, buddy! Can you hear me!?"

The cat's tail twitched before he lifted his head with a grunt. His head was throbbing. Happy glanced around, surprised to find Natsu lying still on the ground, covered in burns and bruises. He had been beaten?

"Natsu!" Happy cried out in worry.

"I'm okay, buddy," Natsu assured, though in truth he wasn't sure that he would be. He ate large amounts of fire that his body didn't agree with, not to mention that most of his body was burned and bruised. Blood was trickling from his mouth as well, even though he hadn't been hit in the face. There must've been internal damage. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..."

"Good, because I need you to listen carefully, okay Happy?"

The exceed nodded slowly.

"Lucy was taken, and we need to get her back."

"W-What!? They took Lucy!?"

"I couldn't stop them. But it doesn't matter. There's still time to get her back."

"How!?" Happy asked. Large tears pooled his eyes, threatening to spill. One of his best friends was taken, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"I need you to grab the lacrima from your bag," Natsu answered, unusually calm. Seeing Happy freaking out made it easier for him to pretend that he wasn't scared. On the inside, he was a mess. Fear consumed him, and he was worried about Lucy. If anything happened to her, heads would roll.

Happy did as he was told, limping towards his knapsack and retrieving the lacrima. He brought it towards Natsu and sat down beside him.

"I need you to make the call," Natsu said. "I used all of my power in the fight last night."

"Who am I calling?" Happy asked.

"Everyone. Everyone that we've helped in the storybook." A large lump formed in Natsu's throat, causing much pain. Tears pricked his eyes as he continued, "We have to save Lucy, but we can't beat these guys alone. They're strong, and they outnumber us. We need help."

Happy nodded. Placing his paw on top of the lacrima, he poured his magic into it and waited for someone to pick up. He was worried that nobody would help them out, the seconds seeming like years as nobody was picking up. Losing hope, he was about to remove his paw when suddenly, a familiar face appeared over the lacrima.

"Happy? What's wrong?" came Mira's voice, sending relief coursing through his body that somebody picked up. The girl gasped. "What happened to Natsu!?"

One by one, familiar faces began to appear over the lacrima. Erza and Jellal, Gray and Juvia, Levy and Gajeel, Wendy and Charle, even Sting and Yukino. Everyone from the storybook answered their call, concern etched in their features as they bombarded them with questions.

Natsu swallowed thickly, feeling hopeful now that everyone answered.

"Lucy was taken," he informed them, his heart clenching in pain as he said it.

Everyone released a flurry of new questions, all of them concerned for Lucy.

"Listen, we need your help," Natsu said, balling his hands into fists. "Lucy was taken and we don't know where she is now. I can use my nose to track her, but we can't beat them on our own. We need your help! You owe this to Lucy after she busted her ass helping each and every single one of you! Lucy saved all of you, it's your turn to save her!"

"Of course we'll help!" Lisanna said, squeezing into view. "Lucy reunited us with nee-chan! There's no way we'd turn our back on her now!"

"We'll be there too!" Levy exclaimed. "We'll do whatever it takes to help Lu-chan!"

"Count us in too," Gray chimed in. "Those jerks are gonna pay for laying a finger on Lucy."

"Don't forget about us," Erza said, cracking her knuckles. "We'll have to teach them a lesson."

"We're coming too!" Wendy added, her face glowing with determination. "I need to treat your wounds quickly, and I want to save Lucy-san too!"

Sting frowned. "As much as I want to repay my debt to Lucy, I can't join you guys. My kingdom is in an uproar since I announced that Yukino and I are getting married. I would help, but if I leave, someone could overthrow the kingdom and ruin everything."

"That's okay," Natsu replied with a slight nod. "This is enough people. Take care of your kingdom."

Sting nodded, glad that the other dragon slayer was understanding.

"Happy and I are on the outskirts of Gallowstown, just an hour or two away from Crocus. We're in the forest. It should be easy to find us with all the black smoke in the air," Natsu said. "You have to hurry!"

"Make sure you stay where you are, don't move a muscle!" Wendy instructed. "Your wounds look serious. Your body is covered with burns and Happy bled from his head! Charle and I are taking the train there right away to heal you!"

"Thanks, Wendy."

"Alright, everyone," Erza said, her voice serious. "Go! We'll all meet up with Natsu in order to save Lucy!"

Everyone cheered before ending the call, presumably heading straight over to them. Natsu hoped they would arrive soon. He had to save Lucy.

* * *

The first to show up were some of Sting's medical mages, who showed up about an hour after the call ended. Even though he couldn't join in on the fight, he made sure to send some help for first aid before Wendy could finish healing them. They healed Natsu's bruises and Happy's head before returning to Crocus.

The first of the combat group to show up were Levy, Gajeel, and Panther Lily. They were only a few hours away by train, so it made sense they were the first to show up. Levy examined their wounds. Even though she wasn't a medical mage, she did read every medical book in the library, so she had extensive knowledge. She made sure that the two were going to be okay.

"Where are Jet and Droy?" Happy asked.

"Taking care of the library," Levy answered. "They wanted to come and help too after everything Lu-chan did for us, but I thought it might be best to reduce our numbers so we can flank them."

Natsu nodded, though he was a bit disappointed. Jet's magic would've been useful. He could've taken Lucy and ran out of there without being caught. Still, these three were plenty strong. He already felt a bit more hopeful about the situation.

The next to show up were Erza, Jellal, and the Strauss siblings. Since they were close-by, they traveled together. By train, it took them six hours to reach them. Erza crashed Natsu's head against her chest-plate in what was supposed to be a reassuring hug.

Just an hour later, Gray and Juvia showed up. Even though they were closer than Erza and the others were, it took longer since they lived on top of an icy mountain. Gray awkwardly approached Natsu, his hands shoved in his pockets, as he tried to comfort the distraught boy.

"Don't worry. We'll get her back," the raven-haired boy assured. Usually he would throw insults at the other boy, but now wasn't the time.

Natsu nodded in reply. He appreciated the sentiment, but part of him was still doubtful. All that was left was Wendy and Charle.

Once Wendy and Charle arrived, the moon was already high in the sky. Wendy immediately ran towards Natsu, healing his burns while Charle approached Happy. Usually, he would fawn over her. But right now, he could only frown as his friend was gone. She placed a comforting paw on his shoulder, hoping to calm his heart a bit.

Now that everyone was gathered, all Natsu wanted to do was run after Lucy's scent. But he couldn't. It was already dark out, moving now would be useless. Waiting until sunrise was the smartest way to go, no matter how impatient he was.

Natsu was a mess. His body wouldn't stop fidgeting, and he kept pacing around once Wendy permitted him to walk. His mind was wrapped around Lucy, praying to whatever god was out there that she was okay.

Right now, he needed to be calm. He couldn't save Lucy while his nerves were all jumbled up.

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the group, who were all gathered around the campfire.

"They know Lucy's real identity," Natsu said, his brows furrowed. "I don't know who they are, but it's clear that they know a lot, possibly more than we do. The way it sounded, it was like they've been waiting for Lucy to show up in Earthland."

"What do you mean Lucy's real identity?" Wendy asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Lu-chan is the Lost Princess," Levy answered. "Tell us what you know, Natsu."

The boy nodded and explained, "I don't know much. I only know what they told me. But they said that they were after the Lost Princess and that they're in an underground organization that goes after the world's strongest magic."

"Did they say the organization's name?" Erza questioned.

Natsu shook his head. "But I think I know who their leader is. They kept talking about how this Hades guy was waiting for them."

"That name doesn't ring a bell," Mira said with a frown.

"I think that they have an alliance with someone else," Natsu continued. "There was another name that they mentioned. Apparently, they're working with someone that ordered to keep me and Happy alive. It didn't sound like they really respected the dude though, so that's why I think it's an alliance. Outside help."

"Did you get the ally's name?" Gray asked.

Natsu nodded. "Yeah. They said his name was Jose."

There was a gasp, everyone turning their head towards Levy. The girl's eyes were wide and her mouth was hung open, her body trembling.

"Th-That name…" she breathed out.

"What is it, Levy?" Gajeel asked.

"The reason I found out that Lu-chan is the Lost Princess was because of her striking resemblance to the late Queen. But just to clarify, I checked this book I have at the library. It's not supposed to exist, as it has more details about what happened to the Lost Princess. The King ordered it to be destroyed."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Natsu asked.

"The name Jose was in it," Levy revealed. "Natsu… This Jose guy, he's dangerous…"

"Levy, what happened?"

"Jose is the one that caused Lu-chan's disappearance."

Everyone's breaths hitched in their throats.

"So we're back at the beginning, huh?" Jellal said, cupping his chin in thought.

"What do you mean?" Juvia asked.

"Everything that happened to us happened because of the curse King Heartfilia casted over Fiore because of his daughter's disappearance. Lucy is his daughter, who went missing because of this Jose guy. Everything that happened to us is his fault. This is the origin."

Everyone turned towards Natsu. His bangs shadowed over his face and his body was still. They stayed in a thick silence until he finally lifted his gaze, staring in to the fire. Anger was etched in his features.

"It doesn't matter who he is," he said, clenching his fists. "What matters is we get Lucy back. And while we're at it, we turn those guys to ashes."

"I wish we had some information about our enemy at least," Lisanna chimed in with a frown. "Like about their powers. That would be helpful."

"We actually know someone that might be able to help with that!" Happy replied. Grabbing the lacrima from his bag, he placed his paw over it and channeled his magic into it. Soon enough, a familiar face was staring back at him, confused.

"Happy?" Hibiki asked. "Why are you calling?"

"We need you to use your Archive magic!" the exceed answered.

"He uses Archive!?" Levy asked, shocked that they knew someone that used that magic. It was one of the rarest magics in the world, save for Lost Magic.

"Sure. What's this about?" Hibiki asked.

"Lucy was taken," Natsu answered. "Does your archive or whatever have any information on a guy named Jose?"

"You mean the one that kidnapped the Princess? Of course. It says that he used to be in the Royal Guard."

"What does it say about his magic?"

"Well, I'm not sure about his offensive abilities, but I know that he has an abnormally long lifespan and that he can teleport. Other than that, I'm not sure."

"What about someone named Hades?"

Hibiki typed into the holographic screens of his magic. "I have less information on this guy. Apparently, he's the leader of Grimoire Heart, a dark group that specializes in Lost Magic. They're all really powerful, but this guy is on another level and has mastered a bunch of different magics."

"So in other words, all of them are ridiculously strong?" Levy asked, sweat dropping.

"Don't worry, we can handle them," Gajeel assured, nudging the girl.

"Thanks for the info, Hibiki," Natsu said before ending the call.

"What's the plan, Natsu?" Erza asked, crossing her arms.

"Gajeel, Wendy, and I are going to track their scents back to their base," Natsu answered. "We're going to surround the building and barge in at different locations, taking them by surprise. We'll have the upper hand."

"What about their numbers? Surely they have more troops."

"We can ask Laxus to send in troops of his own to handle to weaker opponents. We'll handle the stronger ones," Mira said.

"You think he'd send?" Happy asked. Laxus didn't seem like the friendliest of people, after all.

"Of course! He wanted to come with us and save Lucy, but Makarov said he needed to watch over the kingdom."

"That sounds like a good plan," Natsu said. "For tonight, we'll get as much rest as we can. We're heading out early tomorrow morning. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads. With that, they tried to go to bed, their heads wrapped around tomorrow's battles.

* * *

 **AN:** I'm very happy to have the rest of the gang there now. :') If you're wondering why I didn't involve Sting and the others in this, it's because I only wanted people from the FT guild doing it! Also, we'll be seeing Lucy next chapter! I'm already just about finished writing it, so I will be posting it on the 15th! :)

Thank you to the people that reviewed: **Shadow Joestar, valerioux, shootingstarssel, Alexa60765, narutoyaoifan, MasterGildarts, Kippysaurus, Juvia is my spirit animal, animefan393939, stranger1999, ThaDesperado64, Soul Eater Maka.** A lot of you assured me that the battle scenes were good so thank you very much I was very worried about that. :')


	93. Chapter 93

**AN:** I am killing it with these quick updates! Btw, how many of you guys have been here since I first posted chapter one? I'm just curious because this story is going to be 2 years old in December, so you guys have been with this story for a while haha! :D Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 93

Revelations

"Darling? It's time to wake up."

Lucy groaned, her head pounding. Her body ached, made worse by the cold, stone floor that she was laying on. Eyes fluttering open, the girl took in her surroundings. She was in an empty, circular shaped room made of stone. It was incredibly small, more like a dungeon.

"Where am I?" Lucy murmured, clutching her shoulder. She winced from the contact. Looking towards the pain, she found that her shoulder was bandaged up. "What happened?"

And then it hit her.

Memories of her battle with Azuma flooded her mind. She was beaten. _Taken._

"It seems you remember now," an unfamiliar voice mused. It was nasally and held a wicked undertone to it.

Lucy whipped her head towards the voice, finding a tall, lanky man standing over her. He was dressed in clothes that reminded her of a typical wizard, even having the hat to match. He had dark hair and a thin mustache above his black-painted lips. His smile sent a chill down Lucy's spine. It was supposed to be disarming, but it had the opposite effect. It was a sinister smile that made Lucy distrust him immediately.

"Who are you?" Lucy demanded, glaring at the man.

"Such a rude question," the man replied, feigning insult. "Of course, I don't expect you to remember me. You were only a baby when we met."

Lucy's eyes widened, her jaw dropping on its hinges. Her mouth went dry as she stared at the man in front of her.

"W-What did you say?"

The man's creepy smile grew. "Hmm? You mean the part where we met?"

Lucy weakly nodded, unable to comprehend what he was saying. "You… You're saying you knew me as a baby?"

"But of course! Anyways, I'm sure you have questions as to why you're here."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the man. She was curious to know what he meant about knowing her when she was a baby, but she also needed to know why he went out of his way to take her. She would come back to the baby stuff later. For now, she needed to learn his objective.

"I do have questions," Lucy said, rising to her feet. "What do you want with me?"

The man bared his teeth in a wicked grin. "I want to create an alliance."

"An alliance?"

"Yes, dearie. You see, you and I would make an unstoppable team."

"For what exactly?"

"Why, ruling the world, of course," he answered.

"Ruling the world?" Lucy repeated. Her cheeks puffed out before she burst into a fit of laughter, tears welling in her eyes.

"Do tell, what's so funny?"

Lucy laughed some more, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You have to be the most cliché villain I have ever met!" Calming down, she smirked at the unamused man. "How do you expect to rule the world by forming an alliance with me?"

"Well first of all, I am not a villain. Second of all, we would use your power," Jose answered.

"What power? My spirits?"

"Of course not. Your portals."

Lucy's eyes widened. How did he know about her portals? The only people that should've known about it were some of the people she helped from the storybook. She only told a handful of people that she came from another world.

Just who was this guy?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Lucy fibbed, crossing her arms. "And even if I did, I wouldn't go around helping you. You just had me kidnapped!"

The man frowned. "Yes, I do apologize about that. My associates were rougher than I thought they would be. But I knew that I needed to get you away from that dragon slayer or else I'd never get the chance to talk to you. Let's start over. I'm Jose."

Lucy glared at him. "And I'm uninterested. So if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my friends."

"I'm sorry, but it won't be that simple," Jose replied with a frown.

"I already told you, I'm not helping you with your dumb plan!"

"That's because you haven't heard me out yet. Imagine your world. Was it a nice place? Or was it riddled with wars and strife? If you take me to that world with your portals, I can end all of its problems with my powers. Your world doesn't have magic. Imagine how easy it would be for us to make a great change!"

Lucy studied the man. His words sounded nice, but it seemed fake.

"I don't trust you at all," she said, glaring at him. "I'm not helping you. I'm leaving now, and you can't stop me!" Her hand landed on her thigh, feeling for her keyring. At its absence, she gasped. "What did you do with my keys!?" Even her whip was gone.

"Don't fret, child. They are in a safe location," Jose answered. "I was afraid you would resort to violence. I only want to talk, Lucy."

"How do you know me?" Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "You said that you knew me when I was a baby, but that's bullshit. You already know that I come from another world."

Jose grinned. "Why, isn't it obvious by now?"

"Isn't what obvious?"

"You mean to tell me that you've spent months in Earthland and you still haven't figured it out?"

"Figured what out? Stop playing with me!" Lucy shouted, losing her patience.

Jose gave a sinister grin, sending a chill down her spine. "Oh dearie, you are from this world."

Lucy reeled back, her eyes growing wide. What was he talking about? She wasn't from Earthland.

"You're wrong. I was born on Earth! I was found in the woods by a hiking couple who turned me over to the cops!" Lucy shouted, denying that she was from Earthland. It wasn't possible. She was found as a newborn!

"It was a horrible tragedy," Jose said, feigning a frown. "I worked with your parents. They were devastated after your disappearance."

"M-My parents?" Lucy collapsed to her knees. He was lying, right? There was no way any of this was true. He was just trying to get in her head. He was using her. "You're lying!"

Jose circled around the distraught girl. "I'm afraid not, dearie. Haven't you ever questioned it? Take your keys, for example. Those keys mean nothing back in your world, correct? But here, they are magical artifacts used to summon celestial spirits. How would you have these keys back in your world?"

He made a very solid point. One she couldn't argue with. "I don't… I…"

"There's another reason that I needed to get you away from that dragon slayer as soon as possible," Jose said, kneeling in front of the girl and propping his finger under her chin to lift her gaze to meet his. "You think of me as the villain, but that is only because you were unlucky to have been brainwashed by the true criminal."

Lucy slapped Jose's hand away, seething, "Don't you dare call Natsu a criminal! You don't know anything about him!"

"But I do. That scoundrel has been lying to you this whole time. Once I found your location and found that you were with _the_ Natsu Dragneel, I knew I had to get you away from him."

"What are you talking about?"

"The boy lied to you, dearie. He isn't just wanted for thievery. He's also wanted for murder."

She slowly shook her head. "You're lying."

"I'm not the one that has been lying to you. Natsu is. In fact, he's known about your true identity from the start."

"…My true identity?"

Jose placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"My dear, you are the Lost Princess. You are King Heartfilia's daughter. You are heir to the throne."

Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, she couldn't piece a sentence together. All she wanted was to lay down and go to sleep. She wanted to wake up by Natsu and be teased by Happy. She wanted to go back to when things were simple.

Nothing was making sense.

"There's no way… There's no way I'm the Lost Princess," Lucy murmured, fisting her hair. Tears crept in her eyes as she shook her head back and forth. It wasn't possible. There was no way that she was the Lost Princess that she had heard so much about. "I-I'm from Earth…"

"It's true, Lucy," Jose said, rubbing her back. "I used to work for your parents. I was in the Royal Guard. Your parents struggled to have a baby, but one day you were miraculously conceived. Everyone in the kingdom rejoiced, and soon enough you were born."

"Stop it…"

"You know that blanket you have been carrying around with you? That was a gift from the Fire Dragon King, Igneel. And remember that ice statue you came across on Mount Hakobe? That was made by King Fullbuster, a gift to celebrate your little family."

"Please, stop," Lucy begged, her voice cracking.

"Would you like to see a picture of your parents?"

Lucy froze as Jose reached inside his breast pocket and pulled out a small picture. One of the corners was a bit torn from time, but the image was crystal clear. Jose stood between two people, a couple. One of the other people was a man with a bushy mustache and kind eyes. The other was a woman who looked just like her.

Lucy reached towards the picture with a trembling hand. Even she couldn't deny that the woman in the picture was a spitting image of herself. The girl's lips quivered, a whimper slipping past them.

It was true. She was from Earthland.

These were the parents that she'd been searching for her whole life. To think that she spent twenty years searching on Earth, only for it to be for nothing. They were here the whole time.

Jose smiled, knowing that he was beginning to crack her. All it took was one final push.

"They've all been lying to you, Lucy. All of them have known about your identity from the start," he said, rubbing her back to comfort her.

Lucy was silent, but her thoughts were screaming at her. Everything was starting to make sense. The blanket. How would she have a blanket with Igneel's scent if she was born on Earth? Then there was the ice sculpture on Mount Hakobe. Gray was desperate to show it to her. In fact, she could vaguely remember him trying to tell her something before Happy interrupted him.

Even Karen knew about who she was. That was what she meant about not knowing her own name. She wasn't Lucy Ashley. She was Lucy Heartfilia.

Lucy's stomach dropped to the floor and she started to feel sick. She kept making so many connections. There were so many times that the truth was just in her reach, if only she had seen it then.

What was the most upsetting was that Jose was right.

All of her friends did know, and they kept it from her.

Natsu and Happy kept it from her.

They lied to her.

Memories of their first night in Crocus hit her like a brick.

 _"I can't really blame him. I feel bad for him. Hey, Natsu, how do you know so much about the Lost Princess if you never go into town?" she had asked._

 _A nostalgic smile graced the boy's lips as he answered, "It's thanks to Igneel."_

 _"Igneel?" Happy repeated._

 _"Yeah. The floating lanterns always happened the day before my birthday. One night I made a joke that it's an early birthday present from all of Fiore. That's when I learned about the Lost Princess. Igneel told me about how everyone does it for the anniversary of her disappearance, which was her birthday, too."_

 _"What happened next?"_

 _"I already told you guys about how Igneel was friends with the Royal Couple before the Queen died. He got sad telling me about the Lost Princess. He talked about her golden hair, how peaceful she seemed, and how happy she made the King and Queen. Then he told me that she was taken and hasn't been seen since."_

 _The three sat in a thick silence, their mood dampened. Natsu turned his head to find Lucy's take on everything, only to find crystalline tears flowing down her face._

 _"What are you crying for, Lucy?" he asked._

 _Lucy wiped her face and answered, "It's just such a sad story. She was taken from her family and her kingdom. I can't imagine how lonely she must be."_

 _Natsu frowned, his body growing rigid. He stared her in the eyes as he replied, "I'm sure she has some friends now."_

 _Tears pricked Lucy's widened eyes as she stared into Natsu's dark orbs. Her stomach flipped from the look he was giving her, but not in the romantic way. She couldn't explain it, but something was nagging at her. Shaking her head, she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind._

 _They sat in silence once again until Lucy asked, "Hey, Natsu. When's your birthday?"_

 _The boy swallowed thickly and answered, "July second."_

 _Brown eyes widened. "Mine is July first."_

It was so obvious he had known at the time. Why hadn't he told her? He had plenty of opportunities. Anger and betrayal panged her chest, darkness beginning to consume her heart.

Jose grinned, watching the girl's features darken with anger. "I will give you some time alone with your thoughts. I'll be back later."

Closing the door and locking it on the way out, he took one step before he heard Lucy scream at the top of her lungs. The psychological torture was getting to her, and he hoped that she would make it easier for everyone and agree to work with them.

Lucy laid still on the floor, tears dripping down her face. She didn't know what to do anymore. Hell, she didn't even know who she was. She felt weak. Her body was drained of energy. All she wanted was to sleep. So, she did.

* * *

Hours passed when Jose returned, just as he had promised he would. Lucy was sitting against a wall, holding her legs to her chest and resting her head on her knees. Her eyes were swollen and dull, her hair disheveled. She was a mess.

" _This should be easy to work with,"_ Jose thought with a grin. He was a master at using people's darkest thoughts against them. He had even done the same with her father before. "How are you holding up, sweetie?"

Lucy didn't acknowledge him. She was like a lifeless doll.

"I know you are upset, but I think you should focus on what your mother would have wanted." He saw her body tense, knowing that she was listening. "Your mother was a wonderful Queen, everyone adored her. She wanted to make great changes to our country, so she did. I'm sure she wanted to change the world too. You and I, Lucy, we have the ability to change multiple worlds."

"She… She wanted to change the world?" Lucy asked, lifting her gaze to meet his.

Jose grinned. "Of course! So, what do you say? Will you join me?" He held out a hand to the girl, who stared at it hesitantly. Then, she slowly started to reach towards his hand, grabbing it. He helped her to her feet, smiling at her. "Great! I'll get the preparations started and-!"

Lucy swung her leg up with all her might, kicking the man right where the sun don't shine. Jose fell to the floor, crying out in pain.

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes as she shouted, "I may not know who I am, or what I'm doing, but I do know that I'll never work with a man like you!"

She dashed towards the door, relieved that Jose hadn't locked it when he entered. Running out of her room, she was in a hallway lined with doors. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to get away from Jose and his fake smiles. Even if what he said about her mother was true, she didn't trust him. She couldn't bring him to Earth.

So, she continued to run as fast as she could. She had to find her keys, but how was she supposed to do that? The place was huge!

Meanwhile, dark energy erupted from Jose as he clenched his jaw in anger. Rising to his feet, he cracked his knuckles.

"So, you want to do this the hard way, huh dearie?"

Lucy's legs burned as she ran through the castle. She searched for stairs, anything that could get her away. Searching every room for her keys would be impossible. Jose would surely catch up to her in no time. As much as it pained her heart, her best chance of getting her keys back would be to escape first and find help. Without her keys and her whip, she was only left with physical attacks, and though she had improved a lot with Natsu's help, there was no way it would be enough.

Just as she was about to round a corner, Lucy heard something drop behind her. Glancing back, she found a storm of black ghosts chasing after her. They wore torn capes, their red, beady eyes shining from underneath their hoods. Their arms were skinny but their claws were huge.

Lucy faced forward again, running as fast as her legs could go. Her lungs hurt, as it was becoming harder to breathe.

Lucy stopped in her tracks, dread filling her body as she stared at what laid ahead.

A dead end.

Clamping her teeth over her lower lip, she tried to suppress a scream as she heard the ghosts approaching her. She refused to give Jose the satisfaction.

Suddenly, one flew through her body, sucking a hefty amount of her energy with it. More ghosts followed its lead, draining her of energy until she could no longer stand. Falling on the floor in pants, her face dotted with sweat, Lucy felt her eyes starting to droop closed. One of the ghosts picked up her limp body, carrying her back towards her prison.

Lucy's brown orbs closed and consciousness was fading from her when suddenly, a large explosion sounded from somewhere farther away in the castle. Even though the source was far away, the air started to feel warm.

Natsu was there.

* * *

 **AN:** Now Lucy knows the truth. :') GET READY FOR SOME HARDCORE DRAMA LMAO. (And lots of fight scenes.)

Thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, shootingstarssel, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, DaddyDragneel, Alexa60765, narutoyaoifan, naluloverr, valerioux, stranger1999, Nalulove, Ikityan.**


	94. Chapter 94

**AN:** HELLO! It's been a LOOONG time since I updated this story. Part of it has to do with me moving, but a large part of it is the dreaded battle scene. It doesn't help that I don't care that much about the characters I had to write. And i'm not too happy with how it turned out but HEY. IT'S FINALLY FINISHED. So, after a long ass wait, here is the newest chapter! :D

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Chapter 94

Lisanna and Elfman v. Rustyrose

Smoke and debris bellowed around Natsu as he burst through a side of the castle. With anger coursing through his veins, fire enveloped his body in pure rage. Not only did these bastards give him some major wounds- which were luckily healed thanks to Wendy- they also hurt Happy. And now they had Lucy in their clutches.

They weren't going to live to see tomorrow.

"This way, guys," Natsu instructed, stalking down the wide halls. He could hear shouts in the distance as well as the others making their own entrances. Following Lucy's faint scent, he, Happy, Wendy, and Charle traveled briskly.

"What are we going to do if they're all over there with Lucy?" Happy asked.

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Then we fight them all until the rest get there. But I don't think that'll be an issue."

Just as Mira had promised, she asked Laxus to send some of his troops to help with Jose's pawns. With the extra troops on their side, they only had to focus on the bigger threats and rescuing Lucy.

"I hope Lucy-san is alright," Wendy said, clasping her hands together in worry. She insisted on coming with Natsu and Happy so that she could heal Lucy in case the blonde was injured.

"Can you smell Lucy?" Happy asked.

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, she's this way." It was time to get Lucy back. They were ready to fight whatever foe they had to in order to save her.

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream filled their ears. They stopped dead in their tracks, their breaths hitching in their throats and their stomachs dropping to the floor.

It was Lucy.

* * *

Lucy screamed as Jose cranked up the voltage. She had been hooked up to an electrifying machine after she was caught by Jose's shades. He had been tormenting her for hours, trying to get her to open a portal to Earth. It was torture. He would electrify her and wait a while before doing it again, ensuring that she didn't die on him.

But she sure wanted to.

Tears were streaming down her face and her body was trembling. Drool dripped down her chin, as she was in so much pain she couldn't even close her mouth after her screams. Her wrists were raw, smoke rising from her burnt flesh where the electric wires were wrapped around her.

"If you just did as I told you, this wouldn't be happening," Jose sneered. "You better hurry up and make a portal."

Lucy's eyes were dull, her body limp. She wished she would lose consciousness, but her body never seemed to do what she wanted.

Jose narrowed his eyes at the blonde. Her stubbornness and morals were beginning to foil his plan. Her friends had stormed the castle, starting to fight with his pawns. He had faith that none of his stronger men or Hades' men would be bested, but the more pawns the better for what he had in store.

"You better make the right choice soon, dear," Jose said, his voice holding an underlying threat. "I won't kill you. But it'll be worse. I'll keep doing this over and over again. I'll keep you alive, just to torment you. You'll never be put out of your misery. I have all the time in the world."

Lucy tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry as a desert. With a croaky voice, she choked out, "No you don't… They're here for me…"

Jose narrowed his eyes at her. Cranking the voltage once again, he pulled the lever, watching as Lucy writhed in pain as she was electrocuted. "Who is here? You mean your friends? The ones that have been withholding the truth from you since they met you? Oh dear, don't you get it? They aren't your friends."

Lucy clamped her teeth over her lower lip. Even if what he said was true, she refused to give into his demands. He could fry her body all he wanted, she wouldn't let him go to Earth, where the people would be defenseless against his magic.

"How did you know about my portals?" Lucy asked. It was something that had bugging her the moment he revealed he knew about them. And if she was going to die by his hands, she figured she might as well find out the whole truth.

Jose arched a brow. "Why, magic, of course. I've known about your power long before you were born."

"How?"

"I can see the future."

"See the future?" Lucy repeated, her eyes wide. She hadn't met anyone with that ability before.

Jose smirked. "It's a wonderful power, isn't it? I got it through a deal, one could call it."

"What kind of deal?"

"I got my powers by giving up a part of myself. The ability to see the future, my shades, and my immortality. I got it all through a spell."

"Immortality!? What kind of spell gives you immortality?"

"One that came with a peculiar price. Should I make a deal, I must oblige or else my magic disappears. That is part of the spell."

"So you found out about me through your ability to see the future," Lucy said, glaring at the man. "And then what? You figured you'd wait for me to show up?"

Jose gave her a smug grin. "It's a funny story, actually. It was many, many years ago. I had a vision that a baby would be born with the power to open portals to other worlds. I made a deal with your great, great grandmother, who was nothing but a miller's daughter. She was taken by the King and ordered to spin gold out of straw or else she would be executed. I appeared to her and we made a deal in which I would get her great, great granddaughter if I saved her.

"Once the deal was made, I waited years and years for you to be born. The day you were born, I snuck into your nursery and attempted to flee without being caught, but your mother walked in and found me."

"My mother?" Lucy asked, tears pricking her eyes.

"Yes. It was a shame I had to betray the Queen. Truthfully, she was an amusing woman. But it needed to be done. So, I teleported into the woods with you in my arms, but your parents chased after me."

Tears rolled down Lucy's cheeks as she listened to the story. All her life, she believed deep down that her parents had abandoned her. And yet, it sounded like they loved her more than anything.

"You're a monster," Lucy breathed out. "How could you separate someone from their baby so easily!?"

Jose feigned insult. "I am no monster. It's not like I didn't give your parents a chance. I made a deal with them. If they could tell me my name, I would give them their baby back." A wide, sinister grin spread over his face as he continued, "Your mother was a beautiful, stupid woman! She answered wrong, so she paid the price! You should've seen the way she fell to her knees, distraught!"

Finally, realization dawned on Lucy. She didn't know how it took her this long to find out, but she did.

"Wait a second," she said, swallowing thickly. "It's you… You're the one I've heard about. The Lost Princess disappeared the day she was born, kidnapped. You… You're the one that kidnapped me." Fury darkened her features as she shouted, "It's your fault that I grew up alone! It's your fault for everything! You did this!"

Jose gave a dry laugh. "I sure did, dearie! But the death of your mother, that was all your fault. Birthing you is what killed your mother. Her poor body couldn't handle it."

Lucy hung her head, tears pouring out of her. All of the stories she had heard of the late Queen came rushing back to her. Everyone made her out to be a kind, just person that wanted the best for her kingdom. That was her mother.

Whom she would never be able to meet.

"I hate you! Rot in hell you piece of shit!" Lucy shouted, thrashing around.

"That's no way to talk to your guardian," Jose said, grinning. "As punishment, I'll be turning up the dial."

Just as he was about to pull the lever, the door was suddenly broken down, flying past him. The air turned hot and humid.

There in the doorway stood Natsu, Happy, Wendy, and Charle.

* * *

Lisanna and Elfman were on edge as they walked through the castle. They had never engaged in a real battle before, they weren't sure how it was going to end. But they knew they had to give it their all for Lucy's sake.

They were travelling with Mira at first, but she had left them to seek out a stronger magical presence not too far off. They wanted to go with her, but she told them to stick together and find an opponent of their own, telling them that she had faith in them.

Lisanna frowned, trailing right behind her older brother. She hoped Lucy was doing alright. The blonde was kind and helped them in their darkest of times, she didn't want to let her down. She had to repay the favor.

Suddenly, Lisanna bumped into Elfman's back, as he had stopped right in front of her without warning.

"Someone's here," he said, holding his arm out in front of her to shield her from whoever was approaching.

Footsteps clicked through the halls as someone emerged from the darkness. He was a lanky man with silver hair. He wore fancy clothes and shades over his eyes. A smug grin was plastered to his face.

"In the cold castle, the devils and fairies danced their tango of death," the man said, holding one of his hands over his face and striking a pose.

Lisanna and Elfman blanched.

"Uhh, what?" the former asked.

"Great," the latter added with a scoff. "Of all the people here, we just had to be paired up with the least manly of them all."

The man ignored them. "The cracked cobblestone acts as a ballroom for our showdown."

Elfman groaned. "Can I punch him now?"

"If it'll shut him up, be my guest," Lisanna replied.

The man smiled at them, standing up straight. "My name is Rustyrose. I apologize that you're the unlucky ones that are put against me."

Elfman, losing his patience, transformed his arm into that of a bull. Rushing forward, he thrust his arm towards Rustyrose. He'd never been the brightest of the Strauss siblings, but he knew that his fists packed a mighty punch.

A loud _clunk_ sounded between the two as Elfman's fist was met with a golden shield that appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

Rustyrose smirked and held out a hand towards Elfman. "This arm is a jet-black sword that cleaves through all." His hand began to glow. "Wane, to the ends of darkness!" Suddenly, his hand morphed into a sword and extended quickly towards Elfman, striking him in the shoulder.

The silver-haired boy jumped back, grasping the wound. Warm blood oozed from the cut and seeped through his shirt.

"Elf-nii!" Lisanna shouted, rushing towards her brother.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Lisanna. It's just a scratch. Anyways, looks like this guy is like us. He can transform his body into something else."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Nope, but I figured if I keep attacking him, he'll run out of energy!"

Before his little sister could complain, the boy lunged towards the enemy again. Now that he had a better understanding of his powers, he knew what to look out for. Every punch he threw was met with Rustyrose's golden shield. One of them had to break eventually, and he was determined to make sure it wasn't him.

Rustyrose frowned as he continued to block Elfman's hits. "What you said is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I don't appreciate my magic being lumped in with such an inelegant brute like yourself."

"Well get used to it. And get used to the thought of this inelegant brute defeating you," Elfman shot back.

Rustyrose grinned, slashing his sword towards Elfman and putting him on the defensive. "I suppose I must show you how different our magic really is." There was a bright flash of light behind Lisanna, where a large metal beast stood leering over her. The beast swiped towards Lisanna, missing her by only a hair. "This is my Guardian Saint Beast, Belcusas. Otherwise known as the Thundercrack."

"Lisanna!" Elfman shouted, unable to help her lest he be pierced by Rustyrose's sword.

The girl got up and dusted herself off. Luckily, she was able to dodge in time and only suffer from a scrape on her knees. If the beast had actually managed to hit her… Well, she wasn't sure she would be able to stand again after that.

"I'm fine! Just a scrape!" Lisanna reassured.

Elfman glanced towards the beast. Lisanna's magic wasn't suited for something like that. But his was. "Lisanna! Switch!"

Knowing exactly what he meant, Lisanna transformed herself into her cat form and dashed towards Rustyrose, distracting him enough to let Elfman run towards Belcusas. She moved quickly in this form, and her claws weren't something to underestimate.

"So you're a summoner?" Lisanna asked, reminded of Lucy. It was funny, when they first met, Lisanna had tried to fight the Savior. "You're nowhere near as strong as another summoner I know."

Rustyrose sighed. "I suppose my magic isn't something scum like you can comprehend. I am not just some summoner. My magic is much more advanced than petty magic like that. I use Lost Magic. Mine happens to be the Arc of Embodiment."

"Arc of Embodiment?"

"Should I conjure up something with my mind, before me it shall appear. The magic of imagination."

Lisanna faltered. This guy was part of the guild that was full of members that used Lost Magic. In other words, they were terrifyingly strong dark mages who were much more experienced than she was in battle. How was she supposed to beat someone that could make whatever he thought of a reality?

He had to have some weakness. No matter who it was, their magic had limits. Even her all mighty sister had limits. Lisanna just had to find Rustyrose's. That put her on defense, nimbly dodging all of Rustyrose's attacks as she observed his magic.

"I know what you're doing," the man said, slashing towards the girl.

"And what's that?" Lisanna replied while dodging.

"You're looking for some sort of weakness to exploit against me. And though it is true that all magic has some weakness, I have never lost a battle to anyone. My magic makes my imagination a reality! Nobody can battle my creativeness!"

Meanwhile, Elfman was fighting a losing battle. Even after using his Beast Soul, he couldn't compete with the monster before him. Despite Belcusas' large size, he was surprisingly swift and each of his attacks were strong enough to knock the air out of his lungs. All he could do was dodge, but even that was proving to be difficult.

Belcusas cornered Elfman in a corner. Raising his arm, the monster swiped towards him. Elfman leaped to his right, but not without getting hit. He shouted in pain as his left arm was hit. Just the sheer force of the attack managed to break his arm.

Before he could refocus on his enemy, Belcusas struck him again, this time in his right leg. Elfman fell to the floor, no longer able to move. He could barely keep his eyes open as the pain was driving him towards unconsciousness.

"Elf-nii!" Lisanna shouted, tears shrouding her eyes. She tried to run towards her brother when suddenly, she found herself chained to a tower that grew from the ground. It continued to rise until it reached the tall ceiling. She tried to wriggle free. "What is this!?"

"This is the Tower of Dingir," Rustyrose answered. "It's time I put an end to this. The tower renders its captives useless and shortly it will explode. Its shockwave can be felt from miles away. There is no chance of you surviving."

Lisanna panicked, changing into different animals. She hoped changing into a small animal would free her, but the tower refused to let her go no matter what form she was in.

Elfman willed himself to move, watching as Lisanna struggled in hopes of freeing herself. He could hear Belcusas walking towards him, probably intending on finishing him off. He had to reach Lisanna. He had to save her.

But what was he supposed to do? His left arm and right leg were broken, it wasn't exactly easy to move. He heard Belcusas stop right behind him. A shadow loomed over him as the monster lifted his leg, going to squish him.

In a last ditch effort, Elfman transformed into a simple beast. It wasn't exactly powerful, but it was a four-legged animal, making it easier to travel on all fours. Even though two of his limbs were broken, the other two supported him as he forced himself to rush towards Rustyrose, who had his back turned towards him in smug arrogance. He ignored the pain that screamed at him as he ran on broken limbs.

"Don't underestimate a Strauss' creativeness!" Elfman shouted, surprising Rustyrose. Elfman jumped in the air and transformed back into his human form, but changed his right arm into that of a beast. Now that he was in the air, it didn't matter if his other limbs were broken as he headed towards Rustyrose and finally landed a hit to his face.

It was nowhere near enough to beat him, but it was enough to distract him. Rustyrose let his guard down enough that the tower holding Lisanna faded away.

"You scum!" Rustyrose shouted at Elfman, not noticing that Lisanna was freed and transforming into a humming bird. "How dare you lay a hand on me!" He changed his hand into a sword and brought it racing towards Elfman's neck.

Luckily, Lisanna was faster. Changing into her cat form as she was just behind Rustyrose, the girl let out a war cry and dug her claws into his back, raking down his body. The man grunted in pain before being knocked unconscious by Elfman. With Rustyrose down for the count, Belcusas disappeared as well.

"We did it," Lisanna breathed out.

Elfman collapsed on the floor, writhing in agony. "Only took an arm and a leg, but yeah."

"Elf-nii! Oh no! What do we do! You need help now!"

"Don't worry about me. Focus on saving Lucy."

"I'm not leaving you behind! Come on, I'll carry you over there. Wendy went with Natsu to find Lucy so once we find them, Wendy can heal you."

"But that'll slow you down!"

"I don't care! I'm not going to leave you!" Lisanna made her resolve clear as she hooked an arm underneath Elfman's shoulder and hauled him to his feet.

As they inched their way down the long halls, blood dripping from Elfman's wounds, they heard a loud explosion. They didn't know who was the cause of it, but they went towards it anyways, hoping it would lead to Wendy. Somewhere along the way, Elfman lost consciousness.

* * *

 **AN:** So basically I was inspired by BNHA with how Deku would keep fighting even though he had broken limbs. But writing that was hard as hell and I just wanted to finish this chapter lmao. Hope you guys liked it and I hope to update soon! (But keep in mind that I struggle with battle scenes so I won't be updating as fast as I used to!)

Thank you to the patient reviewers: **naluloverr, Shadow Joestar, shootingstarssel, animefan393939, TheCrimsonPhoenix10045, Crazymagic16, valerioux, MasterGildarts, narutoyaoifan, Alexa60765, Terra of Life, stranger1999, Dragneel562, Katherine223, ThaDesperado64, Soul Eater Maka, DaddyDragneel, KitKat2648, Kippysaurus(x2), SasaraRH, Guest, Nalulove, Lanette Branch, Vinita Haywood, Cymbols, piggycat350, Juvia is my spirit animal (x2).**


	95. Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Fire and Ice

Red. That was all Natsu could see. It was splattered on the floor, scarred onto Lucy's skin, and it clouded his vision. The smell of burning flesh was all he could smell. His mouth tasted weird as it went completely dry. He could faintly hear Wendy and the others shouting in concern. He felt nauseous. All five of his senses were driving him crazy, and for a brief moment, he couldn't move.

There in the center of the room was Lucy, confined in wires that wrapped around her arms and legs. Smoke rose from her body as her flesh was burned from being electrocuted. Blood dripped onto the floor, her scars running deeper on her wrists and ankles.

"Lucy-san!" Wendy shouted, rushing towards the blonde. The girl's eyelids were heavy and she seemed unresponsive. She needed medical attention now.

Wendy gathered wind around her hand and went to strike the cords that were keeping her friend captive when someone appeared right behind her. Peering over her shoulder, she found a man nearly three times her size, staring down at her in annoyance. Before she could move, the man thrust a fist towards her.

The action seemed to galvanize Natsu as he lunged from his spot and decked the man straight in the face, sending him into the wall and creating a crater effect. Not only had he hurt Lucy, he had even tried to hurt another person precious to him right in front of him.

He wasn't going to live to see tomorrow.

Fire oozed from Natsu's mouth as he could barely control himself and hold his power back. He was dangerously close to losing all control.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance, standing up and dusting himself off. There wasn't a scratch on him.

"You brats got here faster than I would've expected," he sneered. "No matter. Disposing of you will be easy."

Natsu ignored him.

"Wendy," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the enemy. "Heal Lucy. She needs help. I'll take care of this guy."

The girl nodded, putting her trust in Natsu. Wendy destroyed the cables while Happy and Charle gently placed her in the corner, as far away as possible from the battle that was going to ensue. Placing her hands over Lucy, a green glow emanated from them. She wouldn't be able to heal her completely today, but right now, first aid was a must. She was in critical condition, and if they had arrived even an hour later, Wendy was sure the scars would've been irreversible.

Happy wept as he held Lucy's hand. "How could someone do this!?"

"It's despicable," Charle added, her tiny paws forming trembling fists. Even though she wasn't close to the Savior, she admired her and hated seeing her like this.

"Don't worry. I'll heal her no matter what!" Wendy said, pouring her strength into her healing.

Natsu stared at the man in front of him. He was tall and lanky with a long mustache and a wizard hat. Even though his appearance was tacky, his magical power was off the charts. Just standing in his presence caused his legs to shake.

But he wasn't going to back down. No, he had to give the guy a beatdown.

"Why did you do this to Lucy?" Natsu gritted out.

The man scoffed. "As if I am going to answer to some common thief. Run along, brat. If you leave now, I'll let you and the rest of your friends leave."

"That's funny. I was thinking that if you answer my questions, I'll make your death slightly less painful."

"You really think you can fight me and protect the Lost Princess at the same time?"

"How do you know about who Lucy really is? Who are you?"

The man gave a sinister smile. "Why, you already know who I am, dearie. I'm Jose, the origin of this story. I'm the one that started it all."

Natsu's fingers twitched with the urge to kill the man. "Why? What do you want with her?"

"Her power, of course. The ability to teleport into other worlds, worlds that know no magic. It's impeccable. And with it, I can control multiple worlds with my powers."

"Is that why Lucy's skin is burnt and covered in blood?"

"Yes. You see, Miss Heartfilia wasn't cooperating."

Natsu was across the room in seconds, his fist doused in flames. Rage consumed him as he threw punch after punch, each of them being blocked with ease. That didn't deter him, though. If punches weren't enough, he'd step it up just a bit to gauge the other man's power. Cupping his hands around his mouth, the boy sent a roar of fire towards Jose.

Which he dodged easily.

"Don't you see, boy? You cannot beat me," Jose said with a smirk. "I was already kind enough to let you live before, don't waste my efforts."

"What are you talking about?"

"The battle you lost to Hades' men. They let you live, did they not? That is because they were ordered to by me."

Natsu narrowed his eyes at Jose. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that wanted to let people live out of the goodness out his heart. Hell, there was no good in this fiend's heart. He was the man who kidnapped a baby from their parents the day she was born. He was the man who placed a curse over the entire kingdom, stealing their happy endings. He was the man who then kidnapped Lucy again. He was the one who hooked Lucy up to an electrocution machine and caused her blood to spill. No, there was no good in this man's heart. So…

"Why did you let me live?" Natsu asked. It just didn't add up for one of the darkest mages in all of Fiore to have a soft spot for him.

A sinister grin stretched over the man's face as he stroked his mustache. "See, it was all part of my plan, actually. Everyone has a dark side. You, me, and even pure Miss Lucy. Nobody is completely innocent. I excel in catering to people's darkness by using psychological terror. Miss Lucy was already in a distraught state when I told her that you weren't just wanted for thievery, but also for murder. But I still knew that she was in love with you, so I assumed letting you live would let her see I'm not such a bad guy and she would let down her guard a bit. I hoped it would help her choose to work with me, but we both know how that went."

"You're twisted! And I ain't wanted for murder! I've never killed anyone before, but maybe it's time I change that. Starting with you."

* * *

Gray walked calmly through the halls of the bleak castle. Even though he desperately wanted to save Lucy, he knew that he had to be calm and levelheaded at all times while in the enemy's den. It would be a waste if he were to die before saving Lucy; his kingdom would suffer, and he couldn't leave Juvia behind like that.

So, the boy walked calmly, even though his body was itching to run.

Luckily, he didn't have to wait long for someone appear in front of him.

Gray stopped as a boy with blonde hair, similar to Gajeel's in its length, approached him. Each of his steps were filled with arrogance. His eyes were a striking crimson color, with strange concentric circles around his pupils.

"Took ya long enough to find me," the blonde said with a smug grin. "It's pretty cocky for ya to be taking your sweet ass time walking in here like that."

Gray smirked back. "It's hard not to be cocky when I know that I'm going to win."

The other boy's grin was replaced with a frown. He didn't appreciate people looking down on him. "Name's Zancrow. I like to tell people my name before I kill them."

"Gray. Now can we get this thing started already? I've got a princess to help save and a dragon to keep tamed before he brings this whole place down."

"Oh, you mean that pathetic dragon slayer? The likes of that garbage couldn't even put a scratch on the wall even if he tried."

"Oh? So you've met Natsu?"

A wide, maniacal grin spread over Zancrow's face. "I'm the one that beat him and left him for dead in the forest! I woulda killed the guy, but I had orders not to. He's weak."

"There's no way someone like you beat Natsu," Gray replied. "Even though Natsu's an annoying idiot, he's a pretty damn strong dragon slayer."

Zancrow scoffed. "What's a dragon slayer compared to a god slayer?"

"God slayer?"

"Never heard of it, huh? Well, lemme show ya!" Zancrow cupped his hands around his mouth. "Fire God's Bellow!"

A breath of black flames came rushing towards Gray, who shielded himself with an ice wall. Immediately, the ice began to melt and the attack continued towards him, forcing him to dodge.

"Ha! Fire beats ice!" Zancrow sneered. "Looks like your luck is pretty bad for you to be paired up with me! This'll be over fast!"

Gray clicked his tongue in annoyance. Yes, his counter were fire mages, but that didn't mean his defeat was set in stone. Fire mages were nothing if their magic wasn't developed enough or they weren't quick enough. He still had a chance to win, he just had to be careful.

Gray slammed a fist into his palm. "Ice Make: Hammer!"

A hammer of ice swung down towards Zancrow. Instead of dodging, he sent a stream of flames towards hammer. It shot straight through the hammer, sending large chunks of ice flying.

"I know you're an ice mage and all, but this is too easy!" Zancrow mocked.

"I'd quit being cocky if I were you," Gray warned. "Even though fire is ice's counter, ice can overcome it if it's strong enough."

"Oh yeah? Then show me!"

Gray created sharp shards of ice protruding from his elbows and rushed towards the enemy. Dodging fireball after fireball, he invaded his personal space and sliced into Zancrow's shoulder. Blood splattered across the floor as the blonde leapt away from him.

"You bastard!" Zancrow seethed, clutching his wound.

Gray smirked. "Told ya so."

Zancrow's pupils went small as rage filled his body. How dare a lowly ice mage mock him and injure him.

"I'm going to put an end to you," the blonde gritted out. Clapping his hands together, he shouted, "Fire God's Supper!"

Gray watched as a ball of black flames approached him. He dodged, but the fire moved quickly as if it had a life of its own. It followed him around, trapping him in a corner. Before Gray could think of a counterattack, the ball engulfed him whole.

Gray thrashed around in the flames as his skin started to burn. He tried to escape, but it was futile. Luckily, he could still use his magic, but he had to move fast. Otherwise, he was going to end up a heap of ashes.

He slowly trailed his ice towards Zancrow, hoping that the boy wouldn't see it. Once he was close enough, Gray sent sharp ice jutting out of the ground. Unfortunately, Zancrow saw it coming and put a stop to it immediately by melting it.

"You really think I wouldn't notice?" he asked with a cackle. "You really are stupid! I can't wait for you to die so I can go send the rest of your friends after you! In fact, someone else is near us. I'll go for them first!"

Gray felt for the magical power that was close by. His eyes widened as he found that it belonged to Juvia.

Ever since Juvia had chosen to stay with him, the two had grown inseparable. She understood that he wasn't ready for a relationship. She didn't pressure him or get upset, she just smiled. Juvia was his true love, the girl that had thawed the ice in his heart. She was his future.

And the man in front of him was threatening her life.

Gray trailed his ice onto the floor again. Zancrow saw it and grinned like a maniac.

"You're really trying this again? Give up and die already, will ya!"

But instead of sending an attack towards Zancrow, Gray made a large fist of ice and sent it towards himself. It crashed into him, and he heard a startling snapping sound as the force of it had broken his left arm. Still, the attack was strong enough to send him flying out of the ball of flames.

Reckless, but it worked.

Even though he hated using one-handed magic, Gray was desperate. And now that his other arm was broken, he didn't have a choice. Slamming a palm onto the floor, he covered it with a smooth layer of ice. He was used to walking on ice. His opponent, however, wasn't.

Zancrow struggled to find his footing. Gray took that to his advantage, rushing towards him. Zancrow's eyes were wide with worry as the other boy advanced.

Gray created a large spear, the tip of it gleaming under the light.

Zancrow panicked. "Fire God's Kagutsuchi!" This was his ultimate spell for defense. A giant ball of black flames surrounded himself. He was sure that it would melt the spear.

To his surprise, the spear pushed past his flames and punctured his abdomen. The flames disappeared immediately as Zancrow was hanging on the edge of consciousness. Once Gray knew that he had the win in the bag, he withdrew the spear, uncaring of the shouts of pain that escaped his enemy.

"I told you," Gray started, "ice can become stronger than fire. You threatened to hurt the wrong person."

With a punch to the head, Zancrow was down for the count. Before leaving, Gray trapped him in ice so that he couldn't rejoin the fight once he woke up.

Then, the boy started to limp down the hall. He had to find Juvia and make sure that she was alright. And he still had to save Lucy and bring everyone home safely. But his skin was throbbing in pain as it had been scorched, and his left arm was hanging limply at his side.

Still, he pushed forward.

* * *

Lucy's eyes blinked open, met with a soft green light. Craning her head towards the source, she found Wendy sitting at her side, her arms stretched over her body to heal her. Her body didn't hurt as much anymore. In fact, she felt numb.

"Lucy-san!" Wendy cried once she noticed she was awake. "Don't move! I'm still in the process of healing you! I've already finished all of your major wounds, but I want to heal you completely before you move!"

As grateful as Lucy was for the other girl, she turned her head anyways to find Natsu fighting Jose. It was a one-sided battle as Jose easily dodged all of his attacks with ease. Natsu was covered in scratches and bruises, but he wasn't giving up.

Jose peered over Natsu's shoulder, finding Lucy struggling to sit up, despite Wendy's protests.

"Good morning, dearie," he called out to her.

Natsu turned on his heel. Momentarily forgetting about his battle with Jose, he rushed towards Lucy, who was pushing herself upwards into a standing position. She wobbled unsteadily, her hair shielding her face from him, but he could easily make out a frown.

Racing to her side, Natsu looked her over to make sure she wasn't too badly hurt.

"Lucy! Listen to what Wendy is telling you! You have to lay down and let her finish!" he told her. He reached towards her to help her back onto the floor, but she smacked his hand away from her. Shocked, his mouth parted and he stared at her with wide eyes. "Lucy?"

Finally, the girl met his gaze. Her brows were slanted as she glared at him. Her brown eyes, which were usually bright and filled with cheer, were filled with rage. Tears slipped past her eyes and down her cheeks.

"Don't touch me," she gritted out. Her body trembled, she couldn't keep her emotions locked in anymore.

Natsu took a step closer to her, trying again. "Lucy? What's wrong?"

This time, Lucy shoved him away, causing him to stumble back. Wendy covered her mouth with her hands, watching everything unfold. Charle stayed close to Wendy, confused. Happy flew by Natsu.

Lucy's hands balled into tight fists. Her lips were quivering as she met Natsu's gaze. She stared into the eyes of the boy she loved. The boy that had made her life fun and exciting. The boy who was her first friend and so much more. The boy who kept her identity hidden from herself.

She hated that she loved him.

"Don't you ever touch me again, Natsu Dragneel!" Lucy spat.

Natsu's heart clenched in pain. Why was Lucy acting like this? They loved each other, didn't they? His mind reeled back to his conversation with Jose. Was it because he convinced her he was a murderer?

"Jose lied to you!" Natsu said desperately. "I've never killed anyone, I swear!"

Lucy's jaw clenched. "Oh yeah? How the hell am I supposed to believe that when all you've done is lie to me from the start!? You're no better than he is!"

"What are you-"

"I know the truth, Natsu. I know who I am now, no thanks to you!"

Natsu's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. His heart stopped and his stomach dropped to the floor. Anxiety coursed through his veins.

Finally, the secret was out. The secret that he'd been keeping since the day he met her. The secret that he so desperately wanted to keep hidden in fear that she would leave him if she found out.

Lucy was right. He had been lying to her from the start. He didn't deserve to have her in his life.

"I-I was going to tell you," Natsu choked out.

Lucy felt sick. Hurt etched itself into her features as she covered her mouth with a hand.

Tears crept into Natsu's eyes. "I-I wanted to tell you, Lucy. I swear."

Lucy choked back a sob. "Then why didn't you, Natsu? Why did you listen to me telling you about how I wanted to meet my parents? You could've told me then! Instead, you kept the truth hidden from me!"

"I was scared you would leave us if I did! I thought you would've went to live with your dad at the castle and we'd never see each other again!"

"After everything we've been through, you think I'd just drop you out of nowhere? Come on, Natsu! You should know me better by now!"

"I'm sorry!" Natsu shouted, the tears he struggled to contain now sliding down his cheeks. "I swear I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Lucy bit her lower lip. Her hands fisted her hair, tugging on her golden locks painfully. She couldn't take it anymore. Her day had been full of confusing thoughts and pain, she needed to get away from it all. She needed to be alone.

But with Jose keeping her captive, that wasn't going to be possible.

"Th-This is too much for me," Lucy choked out. Her throat felt tight and she couldn't bring herself to meet Natsu's gaze anymore. She feared that the more she looked at him, the more she would hate him.

Their memories together were being tainted. All of them. All because of one lie.

Natsu wiped the tears away from his eyes, remembering what he came there for. To save Lucy. He went to reach out towards the girl, but drew his hand back. Touching her wasn't a smart thing to do. Not now. Especially when he didn't deserve it.

"I know you're mad, Lucy," Natsu began, turning back towards Jose. "And you have every right to be. But I'm going to ask you to push those thoughts to the back of your mind right now. I need you to focus on getting out of here."

His mind reeled back to the deal he had made with Levy before.

" _If Lu-chan ever finds out that you lied to her, I want you to accept whatever punishment she gives you. If she wants to cut you out of her life, I want you to listen to her. I don't want her to be in any more pain than she already is."_

Natsu's heart clenched with what he said next.

"You can think about all of this after. You can ask whatever questions you have and I'll answer them all honestly. And if after hearing that you decide that you want me out of your life, I'll listen. I'll do whatever you want."

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop herself from crying. Natsu was right. Their first priority was getting out of there alive.

Then, she would have to make the hard decision.

* * *

 **AN:** Don't worry folks. There will be PLENTY of more angst after this. This was just a warm up.

Thank you to the lovely reviewers: **shootingstarssel, MasterGildarts, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765, valerioux, animefan393939, jojrre, stranger1999, Nalulove, Soul Eater Maka, Bstrinkets, Aviend, MillenialStargazer(x2).** :)


	96. Chapter 96

**AN:** GUESS WHAT! Today officially marks the two year anniversary of this story! :D How exciting. :') I never expected to take so long writing this story but at least I'm still rolling with it!

Anyways, I know this chapter took a while and is a little shorter than normal, but I can genuinely say that I like the battle in this chapter so I'm pretty happy with it! :D I hope you guys are too!

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Chapter 96

A Mermaid's Love

Juvia frowned as she walked through the castle's halls. Everything was so dark and dreary, putting her on edge. If only she had Gray with her. He always seemed to brighten up whatever room she was in.

Juvia felt for any nearby presence, her frown growing when she couldn't sense anyone. She was sure that there were people around- if the sounds of explosions were anything to by- but she was having trouble sensing them. Still unaccustomed to land, Juvia wasn't sure how she'd fare in a battle. She wasn't even experienced in battle to begin with.

If only she were in water. Nobody could beat her when she was in her element. But she'd already decided months ago that the land was where her heart is, held by a certain make-mage. If that meant her powers were limited, then so be it.

Even if her powers weren't as boosted as they'd be in the water, Juvia was going to make sure to save Lucy. After all that Lucy had done for her, there was no question she was going to fight for her.

Juvia stopped in her tracks as she felt a slight spark of magical power ahead of her. It only flickered for a second, but she knew someone was there.

"Show yourself!" Juvia demanded.

"Non, non, non! That's three nons!" a man replied in a thick French accent. Below Juvia's foot, an eyeball appeared in the ground.

With a startled yelp, the girl jumped away, watching as a man emerged from the floor. The bottom of his body had been fused with the ground, allowing him to easily move within it. The man had green hair and was adorned in a rust colored suit along with a monocle over his right eye.

"Who are you?" Juvia asked, narrowing her eyes at the strange man.

"Non! I am known as Sol!" he answered, leaning over to the side like a slinky. "And you are Juvia Lockser, Princess of the seas and daughter of King Triton!"

"How did you know that?"

"I saw all of your memories the moment you stepped on me, Monsieur. This is my first time meeting a mermaid, non! You can live above water thanks to your father now but you're still having trouble adapting, isn't that right, non?"

"Come see for yourself if Juvia is having trouble adapting," the girl taunted. Holding her arms out in front of her, she shouted, "Water Lock!" A sphere of water encased Sol. "This water will imprison you until you run out of oxygen. There's no escaping." Juvia ran towards the strong magical pressure she felt coming from the other side of the castle. Fighting wasn't her priority, saving Lucy was.

"Non, non, non! That's three nons!" Sol replied. "This won't do!" The ground below Sol sprung to his feet and lifted him out of his water cage. Extending his hand towards Juvia's retreating form, the floor crumbled before being shot towards her.

Juvia gasped, dodging the oncoming attack by a hair. She had hoped that she could just trap Sol and go on her way to help the others, but it seemed that the man was stronger than he looked. Getting away from him wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

Her best chance was to finish him in one blow.

"You need to defeat me before you leave," Sol said, his lips curling into a smug grin. "But you are not adept to battle, are you? After all, you're just a mermaid who's sat in a castle most of her life."

"Water Nebula!" Juvia shouted, extending her arms in front of her. Two large jets of water swirled around each other and blasted straight for Sol. This was her best move for keeping someone at bay and fighting from a distance.

Unfortunately, Sol's magic allowed him to bend and stretch his body at will. The man dodged her attack easily, slinking around the water and advancing towards her. He wrapped his body around hers like a snake, giving her a sinister grin.

"Non, non! A slow attack like that won't reach me!" he jibed.

Juvia clicked her tongue in annoyance. Then, she transformed her body into water, allowing Sol to drop to the floor as he could no longer cling to her.

"And a weak attack won't confine Juvia!" she shot back.

"Oho?" An amused grin stretched over Sol's face. "Interesting!"

Not wanting to give him time to recover, Juvia went straight in for another attack. "Water Slicer!" Sharp jets of water shot towards Sol. They flew past him and cut into the stone walls, leaving large scratches in them. "Water can destroy steel if strong enough. Do not underestimate Juvia!"

Sol chuckled. "It does not matter how strong it is if it doesn't reach me!" In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the ground and sprang back up right in front of Juvia. "Sable dance!" Dust and other particles from the crumbled floor swirled up and around Juvia, getting into her eyes and clouding her vision. Using that to his advantage, Sol continued with another attack. "Roche Concerto!"

Juvia shouted as the ground below her tore apart. The large chunks of the broken floor flew up and at her. Luckily, the went straight through her, leaving her without even a scratch.

"Physical attacks have no effect on Juvia," the girl said.

Sol's brows slanted in annoyance. His range of attacks were all physical. If he was going to win, he was going to have to get creative.

Juvia approached the enemy, her steps calm and collected. It was obvious that Sol was having a hard time countering her Water Body, so she was feeling confident. All that was left was knocking him out so she can continue on her way and save Lucy.

"It's over," Juvia said. Reaching towards Sol, she shot another jet of water at him.

The man smirked. Before the water reached him, crushed stone clumped together, arranging themselves into the form of a familiar person with raven hair and dark eyes.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia asked, steering the water away from him. Even though it was just a fake, it got everything right with the cross pendant, shirtless torso, and even the scar over his forehead.

"Hey, Juvia," the copy spoke. Even their voices were the exact same.

Immediately, hearts formed in the girl's eyes and she skipped up to the clone's side, wrapping it in a tight hug. "Even though Juvia knows you're a fake, you look just like the real Gray-sama! Ahh, what a wonderful day! Now there are two Gray-samas!"

Sol's smirk grew. "Are you sure you should be so carefree, Monsieur?"

In the blink of an eye, the clone's fist went straight through Juvia's body, who was unaffected.

"Why wouldn't Juvia be? Even if he hits Juvia, it won't have any effect."

"No, but can you dare lay a finger on something that looks just like the man you love?" Sol extended his arms towards Juvia. The cloned version of Gray held onto Juvia, preventing her from moving. "Merci la Vie!"

"Juvia already told you, physical attacks have no effect on-!"

Juvia's words were cut short as a blinding pain shot through her body, bringing her crashing to her knees. A shrill yell escaped her lips as her hands tugged on her hair. Her body felt like it was being squished beneath tons of pressure.

"Stop it!" she shouted, tears brimming her eyes. She had never felt such pain in her life.

"Non, non, non. That's three nons! No can do!" Sol replied, a sinister look spreading across his features. "This is the one attack I have that is not physical! It's sealing magic! It doesn't matter if your body is made of water! Your body will become one with the land and you'll be sealed here for all of eternity, wandering in your own unpleasant memories!"

Dread filled Juvia to the core as she watched her feet turn to stone. The effect traveled up her body, soon to seal her whole body. Her head felt heavy, and she could feel her consciousness slipping away as the stone moved up her body. And just as Sol had said, her memories started to play in front of her, her mind reeling back to when she had lived in the sea.

 _Juvia traveled towards the shore, ignoring the rules set up by her father prohibiting her from doing so. She loved the water, she loved the sea, and she loved her family. But she couldn't take it in the palace anymore._

 _She was an outsider there. With her speech quirk and timid personality, it was no wonder that everyone treated her differently. The only reason they were somewhat kind to her was because she was the daughter of King Triton. She wanted to be more than that._

 _Juvia loved her kingdom and knew of the dangers of the humans on land, but she couldn't help but yearn for more in life. She was lonely and felt like her life hadn't had purpose._

 _It wasn't until that fateful day when she laid eyes on the first human she'd ever seen that she found what she had been looking for. The dark-haired boy had been sitting beside a man, who she assumed was his father. Happiness exuded the boy, and she couldn't help but smile watching him._

 _Since then, she went back to that spot every day in hopes of seeing the boy's smile. Even though she lacked the courage to actually talk to him, watching him from afar was enough to put a smile on her face._

 _Then one day, he stopped showing up._

 _And just like that, the loneliness and dread that Juvia kept pushing away hit her like a brick. The flicker of happiness that she had felt watching him had disappeared, leaving a cold, empty feeling in her chest. She felt hollow, void of any purpose and meaning._

 _Day after day, she would relive the same day, live through the same moments. Food was bland. Jokes were boring. Nothing made her happy, no matter how hard her father tried. He found her suitors in hopes of finding love, bought her riches to make her happy, and just about anything else he could. And yet nothing worked._

 _Years passed and not once did Juvia even crack a smile. Her eyes were dull, lifeless. She was the shell of a girl, moving and breathing, but still lifeless._

But now things were different.

Now, she was living with the boy that she had fallen in love with at first sight. She was still learning how to walk, run, and just be human amongst the rest. All the while, Gray was by her side, cheering her on and teaching her the ropes. She was happy. No longer was life just a dull rerun. Now, she had purpose.

And it was thanks to Lucy giving her her happy ending.

Magical power surged through Juvia's body, cracking the stone that was encasing her. Pouring every emotion into her power, she felt herself growing stronger. Mermaids were by nature emotional beings, their emotions tied in with the lull of the waves and the pull of the moon. Her strong emotions, which others had ridiculed her for in the past, were what made her strong.

"Water Jigsaw!" she shouted. Her body transformed into a rapidly spinning cone, surrounded by blades made up of Water Slicer. She broke free from her stony prison and glared at Sol. "Bringing up painful memories won't work on Juvia because Juvia is happy now!"

Sol's eyes widened as he backed away from Juvia. Sweat dotted his face and he swallowed thickly as Juvia marched towards him.

"Juvia will save Lucy!" she shouted, her arm turning into a swirling cyclone of water. "Juvia will save Lucy because Lucy has saved Juvia! And Juvia will be reunited with Gray-sama and have the happy ending that was given to her! Water Cyclone!"

She held her arms in front of her, forming a circular torrent of water. The cyclone rushed towards Sol, made faster by the emotions that were fueling her. Unable to dodge, Sol watched as the water engulfed him, a pained cry escaping him. The water sliced his body, leaving scratches all over him and rendering him unconscious before dropping him to the floor with a thud.

Juvia panted, walking over to Sol to make sure that he was really down for the count. Judging by his broken monocle, bruised face, and tattered body, it was safe to say that his role in this battle was done for.

"Never underestimate a mermaid's love," Juvia said, wiping sweat from her body. Still unused to her human legs, she felt herself falling backwards after overdoing it.

Luckily, cold hands caught her by the arms before she could hit the floor. Looking up to see who had saved her from a likely concussion, she was met with dark eyes that had her heart leaping in her chest.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed, a smile stretching over her face in seconds.

The cool grin she received had her swooning.

"Yo, Juvia," Gray replied, bringing her to her feet and steadying her. He took a look at the damage and whistled. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"You could never get on Juvia's bad side!"

Gray smirked. "I'm glad."

"How long have you been here?"

"I got here right when that guy trapped you. I was gonna beat him senseless, but then I felt your magic growing. I knew you'd be fine, so I just sat back and watched you kick some ass."

Juvia flushed, her smile turning sheepish. "Juvia only won because thoughts of you made her stronger."

Gray's cheeks turned pink. Turning his head and coughing as so to turn the attention away from his blush, he continued, "Th-That's good. I-I guess you could say that's why I won too…"

Juvia squealed and threw her arms around Gray, bringing him in for a tight hug. "Ahh! Juvia is so happy to hear that! It's only a matter of time before we get married and have a hundred babies and-!" Juvia's words were cut short as she felt something warm and wet on her hands. Looking down at them, she found that they were covered in blood. "Gray-sama! You're bleeding!"

"Huh? Oh, don't worry about it," Gray said with a shrug. He stopped the bleeding again using his ice magic. "Oh, watch out for my arm though. It's broken."

"What!? We need to get you to a hospital!"

"Like I said, don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

"That isn't a good thing!"

"It's fine, Juvia," Gray assured, smoothing a hand over her head and giving her a serious look. "The fight isn't over yet. I know you can't feel it because you aren't used to being out of water yet, but a bunch of people are fighting right now. I can feel everyone fighting for their lives. We can't leave yet. Not until we save Lucy and get everyone out of here safely."

Juvia nodded reluctantly. She didn't like seeing Gray injured, but he was right. They had to finish what they started.

"Alright. Let's go save Lucy."

* * *

 **AN:** I actually enjoy this chapter! Writing it was fun!

Anyways, thank you to all of the reviewers: **animefan393939, Shadow Joestar, shootingstarssel, ThaDesperado64, Alexa60765, XxStar'sDustxX, MasterGildarts, valerioux, Soul Eater Maka, stranger1999, MillennialStargazer,**

 **Nalulove, Ikityan, Lexi 1994, Abdltf.**

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! :D


	97. Chapter 97

**AN:** Just four more fights after this and then we're done with this arc and can move onto the angst again I'm so excited! :D

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Chapter 97

She-Devil

Lucy watched as Natsu charged towards Jose again. She would've joined him, but Wendy was adamant on healing her injuries completely before letting her join the battle. So, all she could do was watch while Natsu fought the man that had kidnapped her.

Thoughts of her fight with Natsu plagued her mind, but she shoved them to the far recesses of her mind. There was no time to think about that right now, not when they were fighting for their survival.

Darkness stained her heart as she looked at Jose. The sinister gleam in his eyes, his smug grin, it all made her want to beat him to a pulp. She wanted revenge. She _needed_ revenge.

Jose had ruined her life. Thanks to him, she lived her whole life in a world that wasn't her own. She searched for parents that she would never be able to find. She was unhappy, pushed everyone away. It was all because of him.

But another part of Lucy couldn't help but wonder if she would've ever met Natsu and Happy if it weren't for Jose. After all, what were the chances that she'd be in that forest if she was never kidnapped? She would've been Princess, and though she didn't know from experience, she was sure that princesses lived their lives in tough security with limited freedom. The chances of them meeting were slim.

So begrudgingly, she had Jose to thank for meeting her best friends.

Well, she didn't know how much longer she would consider them that, though.

Natsu wiped the blood that was trickling from his mouth down his chin. So far, Jose had been winning their fight. Which was infuriating since all Natsu wanted to do was burn him to ashes.

"You're going to pay for what you did to Lucy," he said, his voice deeper than normal. It was hoarse from all of the crying and his throat felt tight.

"Hmm? What I did?" Jose asked. "Isn't what you did worse?"

"No way! You tore a child away from her parents! That's unforgivable!"

"And you knew about her parents, the ones that she had been searching for her whole life. She could have easily been reunited with her father if you had just told her the truth. Instead, you lied to her day after day, all the while calling yourself her friend. Isn't that right, Lucy?"

The girl gnawed on her lower lip, her eyes downcast. He was trying to rattle her up, she knew that. Unfortunately for her, he knew the right way to do it.

Natsu glared at the man, launching himself towards him again. Fiery fists, kicks and insults were being thrown.

Meanwhile, Wendy glanced at Lucy while she was healing her. The older girl's face was scrunched in pain, but not from her injuries. No, her heart had suffered a worse blow. One that Wendy couldn't heal no matter how badly she wanted to.

"Lucy…" Wendy started, not knowing how to continue. "Are you really going to drop Natsu and Happy?"

The girl swallowed thickly, hugging herself. "I-I don't know yet… I can't bring myself to forgive them, or even look at them… But I won't know for sure until I hear the whole story."

"But… But they're your best friends! I don't think you should-!"

"Wendy," Charle interrupted. She shook her head at the child. This wasn't something she had a say in. It just wasn't her place. The only person that could decide how Lucy handled everything was Lucy herself.

The child frowned, getting the hint.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the castle, Mira walked cautiously, trying to find an opponent of her own to take on. She had felt someone earlier, someone strong. Perhaps even stronger than herself. Which was why she left her siblings to chase after that person. If they were as strong as she feared, she didn't want Lisanna and Elfman getting anywhere near them. Not when she'd just recently been reunited with them.

But since she had separated from the two, she hadn't been able to locate the one she was searching for.

Mira took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious for her battle. She hadn't fought since that time with Ivan, and thanks to that fight, she was put under a sleeping curse for over a year. With that sleeping curse, she doubted she was at her fullest potential.

A spark of another person's presence stopped the girl in her tracks, her brows slanted in concentration as she tried to pinpoint the person's location. Footsteps approached her from behind. Whirling around on her heel, she flashed a glare at the man approaching her. He had dark skin and even darker hair that looked like brown strips of paper jutting out of his head in all directions. A strange, brown birthmark ran down the left side of his face over his eye. He had a prominent goatee and was dressed in tribal-like clothing with bright shades of green and orange.

Mira was about to ask who he was when her stomach dropped to the floor at the sight of what was in his hands. Dragged by the collars of their shirts were Lisanna and Elfman, bloodied and bruised. Mira's face, usually sweet and innocent looking, took on a whole different appearance in seconds. Her features were dark as she narrowed her eyes at the man.

"What did you do to them?" she gritted out.

"Do not be mistaken," the man started, "I was not the one that fought them. I simply saw them lying on the floor unconscious and decided to take them with me."

"Take them with you for what?"

The man's lips curled into a small grin. "I am Azuma, a man who enjoys a good fight and will go to whatever extremes to get that. Even if it means using people as hostages."

Mira watched as trees sprouted from the ground, cracking the floor and forcing their way out. The thick bark wrapped around Lisanna, holding her body high in the air.

"This girl has a chance at survival. She didn't sustain too many injuries after her fight," Azuma said. He shook Elfman's limp body in his hand before heartlessly tossing it to the side. "This boy, however, will likely not leave this castle alive. Therefore, there is no point in using him as a hostage, as you cannot save him regardless. His injuries are too-!"

Before Azuma could even finish his sentence, Mira had crossed the room and wrapped her hand around his neck. Now clad in her Satan Soul takeover, her nails dug into his flesh, keeping him in place while she used her other hand to give a devastating blow.

Slamming her palm against his chest, Mira shouted, "Evil Spark!" Blue lightning covered Azuma's body, sending him flying backwards. It wasn't one of her strongest moves, but it was fast and didn't require much magical power. She needed to save her stronger spells for when they were done feeling each other out.

Azuma grinned from cheek-to-cheek, rising from the debris. That was the first time he'd ever been knocked back in a fight. It was exhilarating.

"It's just as the rumors say!" he exclaimed. "She-Devil Mirajane should not be taken lightly!"

"How do you know about me?" Mira asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I've heard all about your fight with Ivan. You were the only one to injure him before his death, and to such a degree! You are strong, woman."

"I am strong so I can protect my family. You hurt my precious siblings, and for that, you'll pay!"

Azuma chuckled lightly. "Then why don't we make this a little more interesting, shall we?" Extending a hand towards Lisanna, a timer appeared over the tree that was encasing her. "In three minutes, the tree will blow up, killing your sister with it. The only way to stop it is to beat me."

Mira's eyes widened, her mouth parting. Three minutes? She only had three minutes to figure out the limits of Azuma's powers and beat him? How was she supposed to do that?

Unable to stay calm, Mira dashed towards Azuma with a grunt. She slashed her demonic claws at him, but he avoided with ease.

"Your movements have gotten predictable," Azuma taunted. He held a hand out towards her. Roots sprouted through the cracks of the floor, tangling around her wrists and ankles. Starting at the base, small explosions made their way towards the girl. Bat-like wings sprouted from Mira's back, allowing her to fly to safety and tearing the roots.

"Soul Extinctor!" Mira shouted, her arms held out in front of her. A flurry of black magical power surged towards the man, engulfing him whole. Forty-five seconds had already passed by, and judging from the way Azuma stood up from her attack unscathed, she wasn't making much progress.

" _At this rate…"_

Mira shook her head. She couldn't afford to think like that. There was no point in worrying about what would happen if she didn't win. She was going to make sure she won. She had to.

The two started fighting using hand-to-hand combat. It seemed she was faring better this way, her hits finally connecting. Despite this, Azuma continued to smile and retaliate. He wasn't going down easily.

Time was running out.

"Release her, you coward!" Mira demanded.

Azuma laughed, amused with the angry gleam in her eyes. "Why would I do that when the fight is so good?"

Only a minute left.

Mira grimaced, her hope dwindling. There was no way she could beat this monster in only a minute when her mind was wrapped around Lisanna. Her arms hung limply at her sides. She just couldn't do it.

"Don't give up…" she heard from behind her. Turning around, she found Lisanna staring back at her, her eyes half-lidded. "Don't give up, Mira-nee. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine because you're going to beat him. Show him what happens when you mess with the Strauss family!"

Mira nodded, swallowing thickly.

"Satan Soul: Sitri."

In the blink of an eye, fire engulfed her body, spreading across the floor. Her body was now clad in a blue and white full-body suit, along with a coat. Her hair was wild, and her lower lashes grew more prominent. This form also added a couple of inches to her height. On the sides of her face were two large, protruding horns connecting at her chin. It wasn't as flashy as her original Satan Soul, but it was stronger.

Much stronger.

She didn't want to use this form since she hadn't learned to master it yet. One wrong move, and she could accidentally hurt her family. But it looked like she had no other choice at this point.

"What's this?" Azuma asked. "You had another form up your sleeve?"

"I have many forms," Mira said, cracking her knuckles. "I hated them all at first. The power of a demon… Nobody truly wants that… But if it means protecting my family, I'll take on whatever form is necessary." Thirty seconds left.

The flames at her feet boosted her speed, along with her strength. She lifted her leg and kicked in Azuma's direction, sending a wave of fire his way. Azuma's eyes widened as he jumped out of the way, dodging by just a hair. The bottom of his pants were singed.

Mira grunted as she lunged towards the man.

Azuma looked in fear as the demoness approached him. "Such immense speed! T-Tower Burst!"

Explosive flames burst through the floor, creating a cylinder of fire that broke through the roof of the castle. Mira didn't even think twice before diving through the flames. With a loud battle cry, she slashed Azuma's side with her claws, digging deep into his skin and carving out a large chunk of it.

Azuma's eyes went dull as he collapsed to the floor. Mira whirled around on her heel just in time to see the timer over the tree that held Lisanna disappear. The trees that Azuma produced slowly recoiled back into the ground, including the one that trapped Lisanna.

"Lisanna!" Mira cried out, catching her little sister before she could hit the floor. Just as Azuma had said earlier, the girl's injuries weren't that bad. Her knees were scraped and she had a few minor bruises and scratches, but she would be fine.

Elfman was the one she was worried about.

"He got hurt really badly trying to save us," Lisanna said, tears creeping in her eyes. "He has a broken arm and leg, and who knows what else? I was trying to take him to Wendy, but I ended up passing out after using up too much energy. I guess that's when Azuma found us."

"Can you walk?"

"I-I think so."

"Alright. We need to get Wendy here now."

"Why don't we just bring him to Wendy?"

"He's way too injured. I'm afraid that if we move him anymore, he'll never be able to use his arm and leg again."

"No way!" Lisanna cried, covering her mouth with her hand.

Mira grimaced. "I'll get her. You stay with Elfman." She didn't like the thought of leaving them again, especially with their injuries. If an enemy attacked them, there was no way Lisanna could hold them off on her own. But Elfman's injuries were too grave. He needed help now.

Mira was about to head in Wendy's direction when her stomach dropped to the floor. Her skin paled, sweat dotting her face as her body trembled.

"W-What is that?" Lisanna asked, sensing the same thing.

"It feels like death," Mira replied, her eyes growing wide. They could sense a crushing amount of magical power coming from just one person. It was dark and sickening, almost enough to bring Mira to her knees.

It was coming from the opposite direction of where Wendy was.

Mira's face scrunched up. "I have to help them."

"What about Elf-nii?"

"I'll help him too. After. Just don't move him, okay? I have to go help the others. Then I'll bring Wendy here. I'll be back. I promise."

Lisanna nodded at her sister. "Be safe, Mira-nee. I don't want to lose you again."

Mira nodded back with a smile. "You don't have to worry about losing me again." With that, she ran towards the direction of the thick magical power. The closer she got to its source, the more her legs threatened to give out on her.

She began to wonder if she was going to be able to keep her promise.

* * *

 **AN:** I will always be bitter about the original Mira v. Azuma fight because I know my girl coulda easily taken him! So I had them fight again in this story, but have Mira win lol.

 **animefan393939:** I can't say for sure how many chapters are left but it's definitely going over 100 lmao. I'm assuming somewhere around 110? I'm not sure yet but I'll let you guys know when I get there. :)

Thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, DemonicSpider, shootingstarssel, Shadow Joestar, jojrre, MasterGildarts, Juvia is my spirit animal, Lexi1994, XxStar'sDustxX, valerioux, MillennialStargazer(x a bunch), Alexa60765, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.**


	98. Chapter 98

**AN:** Alright, I apologize in advance if this chapter is sloppy. For now, let's get on with the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 98

Gajeel, Levy, and Lily v. Kain

Lucy should've known that she wouldn't have the luxury to properly heal before joining Natsu in his fight with Jose. It had only been a few minutes since Wendy had asked Lucy if she was really going to drop Natsu and Happy when two new enemies appeared.

One was a young male with black and white hair tied into a ponytail. He was dressed in red garments with fur jutting from the edges and fishnet stockings peeking underneath. A horizontal, black stripe was tattooed over his nose.

The other was also a man but appeared to be a bit older. He was massive, both taller than her and with bigger muscles. He had tanned skin, darker than Natsu's, dressed in a large, green coat that covered most of his body. Around his neck was a prominent necklace, red in color and oddly shaped. His eyes were covered with a blindfold.

" _Two enemies,"_ Lucy thought in disdain. " _I have to go help Natsu with Jose, but I can't do that with these guys in the way. And I can't expect Wendy to fight when she just used a lot of her energy trying to heal me."_

Lucy studied the man with the blindfold. Powerful magical energy rolled off of him in waves, but she had a feeling she could take him. She'd been fighting for months now, she had more confidence in her abilities. The problem was she didn't think she could take the two of them on at the same time _while_ protecting Wendy and the others.

As if reading her mind, Wendy rose from the floor and dusted her knees.

"Don't worry about me, Lucy," the girl said. "I can fight, too!"

"But you just used up a lot of your energy!" Lucy replied, shaking her head. "I can't let you fight!"

"You have to hurry up and help Natsu! Now hurry!"

Before Lucy could protest, Wendy ran towards the man with the stripe over his nose. Lucy watched in awe as air gathered at her fists and boosted her attacks.

"There's no stopping her now," Charle said, staring at Lucy. "And she's right. This is no time to be wary. You have a battle of your own."

Lucy nodded, turning towards the other man, who was waiting with his palms pressed together in front of his chest. He was an odd fellow, that's for sure.

"How sad!" he suddenly wailed, tears leaking through his blindfold and cascading down his face. "After being reunited with your friends, you don't even know if you can consider them your friends! It's sad!"

Lucy bared her teeth at the man, her hands balled into fists. "What's sad is how you're too much of a coward to pick on someone your own size and yet you're still going to lose."

The man's lips curled into an amused grin that didn't seem to match the tears flowing down his face.

"How sad, indeed."

* * *

Wendy narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her, who stood with his arms crossed.

"Why do I have to fight the kid?" he asked with a huff.

"Do not underestimate me," Wendy warned, getting into a fighting stance.

"My name is Totomaru. What is yours, child?"

"Wendy."

"Well, Wendy, I don't want to have to fight such a young girl, but I have to for Master Jose. Please forgive me in the afterlife."

Wendy didn't bother to retort, watching as Totomaru sent a wave of flames rushing towards her.

" _A fire mage?"_

Instead of using her magic to combat Totomaru's, the girl opted for jumping out of the way. Using wind against fire was tricky. If her wind was stronger, then she'd be able to blow it away as if she was blowing out a candle. But if his fire was stronger, then the wind wouldn't have any effect. In fact, it would actually cause the fire to become larger and therefore stronger.

"I can tell what you're thinking," Totomaru said. "Because of the nature of our magic, it all leads down to who has the most magical energy. You're a child with not nearly as much battle experience as I do. You have no chance at winning."

"You're wrong," Wendy replied, shaking her head. "It isn't just about whose magical power is the highest. It also comes down to a person's heart. My feelings are stronger then yours, which will make my wind strong enough so that your flames won't ever reach me!"

Totomaru gave an annoyed expression. "We'll see about that. Because of the nature of our magic, it doesn't matter how long we duke it out. Let's put all of our power into one final attack."

Wendy nodded. "Alright."

The two gathered their magic power before getting into their stances.

"Rainbow Fire!" Totomaru shouted, holding his hands extended out in front of him. A collection of all of his different types of fire whirled together charged towards Wendy. Each of them held a unique quality, their powers being different.

Wendy stood firm, her feet planted into the floor as she stared at the oncoming attack, unafraid. Taking a deep breath, she felt the air tingle in her belly and gather in her cheeks. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" The air whirled towards the fire, easily overpowering it and pushing through all the way until it clashed with Totomaru, sending his body crashing into the stone wall behind him and rendering him unconscious.

Wendy stood above his body.

"I'm sorry," she said, bowing to him before turning her back towards him. "But regardless of my feelings, my magical power is still higher than yours. After all, I'm a dragon slayer just like Natsu."

With that, the girl turned to watch her friends with their own battles, hoping that they would both win them soon.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gajeel, Levy, and Lily were stupefied. In front of them stood a scarily large man, overweight and yet at the same time a bit muscular. His skin was chalk-white, paler than anybody they'd ever seen before. His hair was jet-black and coarse, long enough to reach a bit past his back. He wasn't wearing much, only a cape and underwear- not even boxers, more like girl underwear- and straps that crossed at his chest.

All in all, he was a pretty gross looking dude.

"F-Finally, you m-managed to catch up to me!" he said between pants, clearly out of breath. "I've b-been waiting for you to show up! You're so slow, I had to take a break!"

"Is that why he's out of breath?" Levy whispered to her two companions.

"He's an annoying fellow," was Gajeel's reply.

"Beware, for I am Kain Hikaru, one of Master Hades' strongest men! I am part of the Seven Kin of Purgatory!" the man shouted. Reaching into his cape, he pulled out a doll of some sorts, brown in color. It had a creepy smile with stitches and beaded eyes.

"What the hell's that?" Gajeel asked.

"It has something to do with curses," Levy answered, reading the kanji that was written on the doll's forehead. "I'm guessing it's curse magic that allows the user to control others. Like a voodoo doll."

Kain sputtered, "I-I didn't expect someone to figure out Mr. Cursey's powers so easily. Are you a genius, girl?"

Levy blanched. "I-Is it really that hard to figure out when it has the word 'curse' written on it?"

Out of nowhere, pink tinted the man's cheeks as he stared at Levy. Squirming in his spot, he scratched his cheek and averted his gaze with a smile.

"A forbidden relationship between the two of us, huh?" he said sheepishly.

The trio blanched.

Gajeel stalked up to the man and bashed him upside the head. "Shut the hell up! You're annoying! Ain't no damn relationship between the two of you!"

Levy blushed seeing Gajeel getting jealous. She could also make out the faint pink on his own cheeks.

Apparently, so could Kain as he pointed a finger at the two of them.

"Stop being lovey-dovey in front of me!" he shouted.

"WE AREN'T!"

"That's it. It's too late to ask to take it steady."

"I wasn't going to ask that anyways!" Levy yelled, her patience dwindling thanks to the idiot. He was perhaps the dumbest person she'd ever met.

Kain then pointed to her. "Give me a strand of your hair."

"What!? No way, pervert!"

"It's for Mr. Cursey!"

"Is that how you activate his powers?"

"Yes. All I need is a strand of a person's hair and then I can control them however I want."

"Then I'm not giving you my hair," Levy said simply, crossing her arms.

"Enough of this!" Gajeel barked. He transformed his arm into an iron club, extending it quickly towards Kain. Despite how the man looked, he was surprisingly nimble, dodging the attack with ease. "Oi, stay still!"

Kain ran towards Levy, plucking a strand of her eccentric blue hair. Dodging blows from both Lily and Gajeel, he shoved the hair into the head of the doll.

Levy went still, her body not moving, even when she willed it to.

"I now have control of you," Kain said. "Now, let's end this."

"Shut up!" Gajeel shouted, leaping towards him again. Before his fist could crash into his face, Levy stepped in between them. He stopped his attack immediately, eyes wide as he watched Levy throw a punch of her own at him. "Oi, Levy! What the hell!?"

"It's obviously not my fault, stupid!" she shouted back, running after Gajeel to hit him again.

Gajeel locked her arms above her head to stop her from attacking him. Being in such a position, he didn't have a chance to attack Kain without Levy there to attack him or act as Kain's shield.

Luckily, he had his trusty partner with him too.

Wings sprouted from Pantherlily's back. Using max speed and sneaking up behind Kain, he snatched the doll from the man, tearing out the strand of Levy's hair. The girl regained control of her body, blushing as she jumped away from Gajeel.

Kain shouted in horror after realizing that his doll was taken. Still, he wasn't rendered useless. With a new target in mind, he raced after Pantherlily, swatting him down from the air and retrieving his doll back.

"I'm tired of this," he stated, plucking one of his own hairs and shoving it into the head of the doll. "Self-reinforcement: feathers." Kain jumped in his air, his body practically flying with how high up he was. Gravity also seemed to be at a loss as his body was still suspended in the air. "Self-reinforcement: iron!"

Kain's body turned silver, made of iron. Now, his body fell quickly towards Gajeel, who was barely able to dodge. The man's body caused a large crater in the floor.

"I can change the properties of myself just by putting one of my own bristles into Mr. Cursey," Kain explained. "You three are done for now."

A wide grin spread over Gajeel's face. "Iron, huh?"

Kain charged towards Gajeel, his blows enhanced by his body's iron properties. Gajeel doubled over as Kain's fist crashed into his gut. Spitting up blood, the boy wiped his chin. Pain spread through his stomach. Still, this guy was no match for their team.

"Lily, now!" Gajeel shouted.

The exceed nodded, flying towards Kain while Gajeel held him in place. He snatched the doll once again, gaining Kain's attention.

"I shall get rid of the cat first," he said. He went to take a step before realizing that he was no longer in control of his body now that Lily held the doll.

Gajeel jumped away from the boy. Lily tossed the doll over to him, which launched Kain to the side as well.

"Levy! Hold him in place!" Gajeel ordered. The girl nodded, doing as she was told. Writing into the air, she created a cage that fell over Kain's body, trapping him. Once that was done, Gajeel ripped out the hair that was in the doll.

"I don't wanna go eatin' a strand of your nasty hair," Gajeel said with a grin. By removing the hair, Kain had control over his body once again, but was trapped in the cage.

"You think a cage can stop me?" the man asked. Punching the bars, he broke free.

"Nah, I knew it wouldn't be enough to stop a beefy guy like you. But it gave me enough time to stall you." Gajeel shoved the dolls head into his mouth and chomped it off, munching on the iron. Kain watched in horror as his weapon was devoured. "Thanks for the meal!"

Gajeel held his arm in the air, transforming it into a sword. Its blades rotated around it, making it even more deadly. Swinging it towards the larger man, he slashed his shoulder and brought him crashing to the floor unconscious.

"Thank Mavis he's outcold," Levy said with a shiver. "He gives me the creeps."

"He's one disgusting fellow, that's for sure," Lily agreed.

"Now that he's done for, let's go find Lu-chan!"

They were about to go on their way when another presence had them stopping in their tracks. It was deadly, chilling them to the core.

"W-What is that?" Levy asked, her body trembling.

"An enemy," Gajeel answered. Sniffing the air, he pinpointed where the source was coming from. Once he found its location, he could smell the blood of their comrades. "He's with Erza and Jellal. They aren't winning. Let's go help them instead."

"What about Lu-chan?"

"There's no need to worry about Bunny Girl. Salamander and Wendy went to get her. Natsu will protect her."

Levy nodded. "You're right. Let's go help the others!"

With that, the three were rushing to lend Erza and Jellal a hand. They just hoped they would make it in time.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the chapter.

Thank you to those who reviewed: **animefan393939, shootingstarssel, MasterGildarts, jojrre, valerioux, MillennialStargazer, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove, mynameishelby, Alexa60765, AnonDr.** :)


	99. Chapter 99

**AN:** Just two more chapters of this arc! And look! We're almost at 100 chapters! :D Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's longer than usual! :)

* * *

Chapter 99

Air v. Stars

Jose smirked, watching as Natsu rushed towards him once again. They'd been battling for a while now, and he still hadn't lost the lead in their fight. If he wanted to, he could easily sic his shades on everyone, take Lucy, and make a run for it. But where was the fun in that? No, these people ruined his plans. He had to make sure they paid the price.

Dodging the flaming fist that went past his face, Jose gathered dark magical energy at his hands and drove his palm into the boy's stomach, sending him back and coughing up blood. He had to give it to the boy. He really was not giving up.

"Why are you still fighting me, boy?" Jose asked, curious of his intentions. "It is clear that you cannot beat me and even if you did, you are still going to lose Miss Lucy anyways. So why throw away your life here for something so meaningless?"

"Who are you to tell me what's meaningless?" Natsu asked, staggering to his feet and wiping away the blood that dripped down his chin. "I'm savin' Lucy. It doesn't matter if she doesn't wanna see me again after this or not. I'm still going to save her because there's no way in hell I'm going to let you ruin her future for her when you've already ruined her past. I love Lucy, so I'm gonna save her!"

Natsu fought the urge to glance towards Lucy and see how she was doing. He could hear her battle with Aria, but taking his eyes off of Jose was too big a risk at the moment. Sensing Aria's magical power, Natsu knew Lucy could take him any other day, but she'd been through too much. Besides being tortured earlier, she'd also gone through too much emotionally. Learning about her past and how he betrayed her, it was all too much, and emotional health could easily make or break a fight.

" _I have to finish this as soon as possible so I can go help Lucy,"_ Natsu thought. Taking a deep breath, he channeled a side of him he hadn't used in ages, only because he still found it a little hard to control. But right now, he didn't have a choice.

It was time to use Dragon Force.

Dragon Force was a strong attack that only the most trained dragon slayers could use. It took a lot of energy and mind power, but it gave eons of strength in return. He still didn't have complete control over the mind aspect of it, but there was no other way he could defeat Jose. He was too strong.

Taking a deep breath again, he focused on his magical power, channeling it through every part of his body. He could feel scales growing over his cheeks, which was a weird feeling to say the least. His eyes grew to slits and his teeth grew even sharper than before.

With this, he was ready.

In the blink of an eye, Natsu was at Jose's side, slashing down at him. Flames cut through the air and even managed to tear Jose's coat, the first effect Natsu had on him during their fight. Not wanting to lose any momentum, he went straight in with a follow-up attack. Grabbing Jose by the collar, he delivered flaming punch after punch.

Dragon Force heightened all of his senses, along with his speed, strength, and durability. With this, he couldn't lose.

* * *

Lucy's eyes widened as she felt heat washing over her and making her sweat instantly. Turning towards her boyfriend, she gasped. Red scales covered his skin in patches and his eyes were narrowed in dangerous slits.

"W-What is this magic?" Lucy breathed out.

"Dragon Force," Happy answered, his body trembling from all of the strong magic clashing together. "It's a really strong spell that gives Natsu the characteristics of a dragon and makes everything about him stronger. I've only seen him use it once, though. The reason he doesn't use it is because he doesn't have full control over it."

"Control?"

"It takes a lot of willpower to control Dragon Force. He could easily lose himself while using the spell, but he didn't have a choice. Jose is too strong."

Lucy gnawed on her lower lip, turning towards Aria again. So far, she was fighting a losing battle against the man. Not only was she still not fully healed from being electrocuted, but she still couldn't bring herself to fully focus on her fight. No matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts of her family and Natsu's betrayal in the back of her mind, it was impossible to keep the pesky thoughts away. And worst of all, she was only equipped with her whip.

Ever since she was taken by Jose's men, Lucy hadn't had her keys. Jose had said they were in a safe place, but how was she supposed to find them in this ginormous castle? And it wasn't like Aria was going to let her pause their fight so she could go look for them. All she had was her whip and Urano Metria.

Using Urano Metria would have easily put an end to Aria, but using it now meant she wouldn't be able to fight Jose later, which was the whole point of trying to beat Aria quickly. Lucy wanted to go help Natsu, who appeared to be struggling earlier, and also get her own revenge. But Urano Metria was a taxing spell, using a lot of her energy. There was no way she'd be able to use it twice.

Cracking her whip towards Aria, Lucy hoped she could end it with this. However, despite Aria's looks, he was swift and nimble, avoiding with ease.

" _If only I had my keys,"_ Lucy thought.

"Give up, Princess," Aria said. "My orders are to take you alive. I would rather not have to hurt you."

"Will you just shut up already?" Lucy gritted out, narrowing her eyes at him. "I am sick and tired of hearing your voice!" She cracked her whip towards him again.

Aria's body turned airy and invisible, the whip going straight through him. It was similar to Juvia's body; physical attacks had no effect on either of them.

"How sad!" Aria wailed. "To think I have to harm the Princess because she won't cooperate!" Extending an arm towards the blonde, he said, "Zetsu."

Before Lucy could even get into a firm stance, she found herself being thrown in the air, her body being thrashed around by different explosions, all of them being invisible. Since she couldn't see the attacks, she couldn't dodge them either.

A pained cry escaped her lips as one of the explosions hit her head and sent her crashing to the stone floor. Feeling dizzy, Lucy brought a shaky hand to her head, trying to hold onto consciousness. Trying to get to her feet, she stopped as Aria stepped up to her, standing over her.

"This is it, Princess," he said, pushing his hands together. "I won't drain all of your magic. I can't have you getting Magic Deficiency Syndrome, but I can drain just enough so that you're unable to fight anymore. How sad. Our fight ends here."

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, unable to move a muscle.

"Metsu," Aria said, starting the spell.

A flash of golden light filled the room as Lucy waited for her magical power to be sapped away. Hearing a loud crash, she opened her eyes to find that Aria was no longer standing in front of her and was instead sprawled over the floor. Standing above him was Loke, a bright light surrounding him.

"Don't even try to hurt my master," Loke seethed. Turning away from him, he approached Lucy. Giving her an apologetic grin, he continued, "Sorry I'm late, Lucy. Here are your keys."

Lucy's mouth parted as he dropped her keyring into the palm of her hand. "L-Loke! How are you here?"

"I went through the gate on my own. I would've done it a lot sooner, but Jose had a lot of guards watching over the room. But another fight happening somewhere else drew half of them away, allowing me to go through the gate and knock the other ones out."

Lucy smiled, tears of mirth blurring her vision as she held her keys to her chest fondly. Even with the excruciating pain she'd endured that day, having her keys back instantly calmed her.

"Thank you, Loke."

"Don't mention it, Princess."

Lucy's eyes widened as she gazed at her spirit. "Wait… You guys have known, haven't you? About my identity. That's why you and Virgo call me Princess, isn't it?"

Loke frowned, turning his gaze towards the floor. "Yes. We've all had our own reasons for not telling you, but we also all wanted you to find out for yourself."

"What was _your_ reason then, Loke?"

The spirit glanced towards Natsu and Happy, a frown spreading over his face. "I wanted to tell you after you saved me from Karen, but you were distraught over her death and your feelings towards Natsu. You weren't ready to hear the truth then. So, I entrusted Natsu and Happy to be the ones to tell you, as I was sure you'd rather hear it from them anyways. But that was selfish of me. I should have told you the moment you were ready to hear it. Or maybe even when you weren't. Either way, I should have told you."

Lucy shook her head, wiping away the stray tears that slid down her cheeks. "I forgive you, Loke. You were just looking out for me. And you were right, I would've rather heard it from them anyways."

She saw Happy hang his head in shame, and admittedly she felt a bit bad for it. But she meant every word she said. Natsu and Happy were her best friends, they should have been the ones to break it to her. But instead, they lied to her face countless of times.

Before Loke could reply, he heard rubble being tossed aside. Turning towards Aria, he found the man rising to his feet.

"That's it," he muttered, his voice low. "It's time to end this." He reached towards his blindfold, ripping it off. "This blindfold allows me to limit my powers, as they're too strong without it. But it appears I'll have to remove it to defeat you."

"Stand up, Lucy," Loke instructed, light gathering at his fists. "The fight isn't over yet."

Lucy nodded, staggering to her feet. Her legs still felt wobbly and she was dizzy from Aria's earlier attacks, but she had to fight alongside Loke. Placing his key against her chest, she adorned his Star Dress.

"Let's do this."

"Do not bother coming up with any strategies," Aria said, his eyes glowing. He placed his hands in front of him, one pointed upwards while the other pointed downwards. A large, spiraling airspace rose from the ground and surrounded him. "Repent, for this is the ultimate spell of death that I can only achieve by removing my blindfold."

Loke and Lucy shared a glance, nodding at each other. Defeating someone who uses eye magic was an easy task for Loke.

"Lion Brilliance!" he shouted before Aria could finish casting his spell. His whole body was covered in a divine light that spread throughout the room, blinding almost everyone else. "Go, Lucy!"

With Regulus at her feet, Lucy dashed towards Aria, using her sense of magic power to guide the way towards him since she kept her eyes shut to block out Loke's light. Approaching him, the blonde jumped in the air and kicked Aria straight in the face, her attack greatly boosted by the borrowed power at her feet.

"Regulus Lucy Kick!" Lucy shouted, sending Aria crashing through the wall. The man's eyes closed as he was unconscious, lying in a pile of rubble. "We did it, Loke!"

Loke smiled at his owner. "That's the power of our love."

The word instantly brought a frown to the girl's face. "Love…" Turning her head towards Natsu, she hugged herself, gnawing on her lower lip.

Loke mentally cursed himself for reminding her of the situation. "Whatever you decide to do, you won't ever be alone, Lucy. You'll always have your spirits with you."

Lucy nodded and smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you, Loke."

With that, she allowed Wendy to heal her newest wounds while she gathered up more magical power to beat Jose. In the meantime, all she could do was watch Natsu.

Natsu breathed a sigh of relief, noticing that Lucy had beaten Aria. Now, he was able to fully focus on his own fight.

Ever since going into Dragon Force, he'd been able to start a decent counterattack. He'd managed to tear through Jose's clothes and even land a few attacks on him.

"I'm losing my patience with you, brat!" Jose sneered, ripping off his tattered coat. Reaching towards him, shades formed and flew at Natsu.

"Shades? I'll just blow them away with my fire!" Natsu shouted. Breathing a fiery roar, the light of the flames eradicated the shades. To his dismay, however, they reappeared again.

"It doesn't matter how many times you destroy them," Jose said, a sinister grin stretching over his face. "They'll just regenerate. And the moment one of them gets their hands on you, they'll sap away your magical power and leave you dry."

Natsu clicked his tongue in annoyance, dodging and blowing away the shades that approached him. How was he supposed to attack Jose while dodging these guys as well? It didn't help that there were a bunch of them, too.

Destroying a few of them, he watched as they formed again. Even though it was tricky dealing with them, victory wasn't out of his reach yet. He just needed to be fast.

Waiting for all of the shades to be regenerated, Natsu stood still in place as they all raced towards him. Once they were within his reach, he engulfed his own body in flames, burning away all of the shades. Before they could reform, he lunged towards Jose. He only had about ten seconds before the shades would return.

It was time to unleash all of his magic on him.

"Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu shouted, the orange flames bellowing towards Jose. The man dodged, only to be grabbed by Natsu, who punched him down to the floor with a flaming fist. Not sparing even a second, the boy went in with every dragon slayer attack he knew until Jose's eyes were closed, unconscious.

Natsu studied the man before raising another fist in the air and crashing it against his face. More scales began to grow over his face until there were more scales than flesh. Despite Jose's unmoving body, he kept hitting him over and over again, his knuckles covered in the man's blood.

Lucy's eyes widened as she covered her mouth with a hand. Why was Natsu still attacking him? Happy's words from before hit her like a brick.

 _"It's a really strong spell that gives Natsu the characteristics of a dragon and makes everything about him stronger. I've only seen him use it once, though. The reason he doesn't use it is because he doesn't have full control over it."_

 _"Control?"_

 _"It takes a lot of willpower to control Dragon Force. He could easily lose himself while using the spell, but he didn't have a choice. Jose is too strong."_

Natsu had lost control of himself for using the spell too long.

Lucy frowned, hugging herself as she watched Natsu continued to beat Jose's body. Despite all of the horrible things the man did to her, she didn't want Natsu to kill him.

Rushing towards Natsu, Lucy grabbed his wrist before he could punch Jose again. The fire burned her skin, but she refused to let go.

"Let go," Natsu said, his voice lower than Lucy had ever heard it before.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "Stop it, Natsu. He can't fight anymore."

"I don't care. I won't let him recover. I'm going to turn him to ashes."

"No, Natsu! I'm not going to let you kill him! You aren't a killer! So please, stop it!"

Hearing her shouts seemed to have snapped Natsu out of it as his eyes turned back to normal. The scales that previously covered his face retracted back into his skin, out of sight. His body grew limp, having used a lot of energy, and he fell to his knees beside Jose.

"I'm sorry," Natsu murmured. "I lost control again."

"I'm not worried about that since you stopped yourself," Lucy replied, redrawing her hands from his wrist. After everything that happened, it felt _wrong_ to even touch him. Her heart shattered at the realization. " _We're never going to go back to the way we used to be."_

"Let's get out of here," Natsu said. "I can hear Erza having troubles with her own fight. Let's help them and leave."

Lucy nodded, rising to her feet and putting some distance between them. She could tell Natsu noticed it by the way he frowned and tore his gaze away from her.

With that, they regrouped with Happy and the others before making their way towards the door.

Dark magic suddenly washed over them, halting their steps.

Lucy's body trembled. The magic was so strong, it felt like it was suffocating her. Slowly craning her head to look behind her shoulder, she found Jose rising to his feet, dusting off his shoulder as he glared at them. Malice filled his dark orbs, striking Lucy with dread.

They weren't going to make it out of there alive.

"No way," Wendy breathed out, falling to her knees. "He was hit with all of Natsu's dragon slaying magic in Dragon Force. He shouldn't be able to move!"

Jose wiped the blood that was trickling from his nose and his mouth.

"That was good, boy. I'll give you that," he said, cracking his knuckles. "But like I said before, you can't beat me. But I won't give you the option to live this time. Now, I'm going to eradicate your existence and grind your bones to dust."

A low growl resonated in Natsu's throat as he stood in front of Lucy to protect her. After his attacks from earlier, he was running low on energy. At this point…

"Run, Lucy," Natsu said, stepping towards Jose. "Take Wendy and the others with you. Run as fast as you can out of here and don't look back."

Lucy's eyes widened as she stared at Natsu's back. "B-But what about you?" He didn't reply. Tears pricked her eyes as she understood what his plan was. "I'm not going to leave you here to die!"

"You don't have a choice!"

"No! I'm not leaving!"

"Happy!"

Lucy gasped as Happy grabbed her by the collar and started flying her towards the exit. "Happy! Put me down!" Glancing towards the cat, she found large tears dripping down his face.

"No!" the exceed replied. "Don't you see, Lucy!? We can't win against that guy! Which is why Natsu is…"

"I'd rather help than run away!"

"Lucy," Natsu called out to the blonde. Turning his head towards her, he gave her a wide grin. The same one that she'd fallen in love with. "Thank you for everything you've ever given me. And I'm sorry. After everything I've done to you, let me at least try to make it up to you by doing this. Happy, make sure you get them all out of here safe. Alright, buddy?"

"A-Aye," Happy replied through his tears.

"No…" Lucy whispered, her throat constricted as a wave of tears flowed down her cheeks. Happy continued to fly her out the door, Wendy and the others following behind. "No! Stop! STOP! _NATSU!"_

And soon enough, the head of pink was out of sight.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the chapter and look forward to the next one! (Which will honestly take me a while to write since it's a tough battle to write haha!) :D

Thank you to the people who reviewed: **animefan393939, Shadow Joestar, MasterGildarts, AnonDr, XxStar'sDustxX, KYAAAA, shootingstarssel, MillennialStargazer, valerioux, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.**


	100. Chapter 100

**AN:** Hello everyone! Ready for the 100th chapter? :D It's so exciting that I actually wrote a story with 100 chapters it's insane. I know that it takes me a while to get out new chapters, but I'm really proud of sticking with this story this long! IT'S 100 CHAPTERS! AND TWO YEARS OLD! INSANE!

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Chapter 100

Dealing with the Devil

A metallic taste filled Erza's mouth after she'd been knocked back by Hades yet again. Spitting onto the tiled floor, she wasn't surprised to see crimson blood splattered on the floor. Glancing towards Jellal, she watched him wipe his chin after it'd been given a nasty gash.

Out of all of their enemies, there was no doubt in her mind that they'd been put against the strongest one.

Jellal staggered to his feet. "Get up, Erza."

The girl nodded. Her legs wobbled beneath her. She watched Jellal charge towards Hades, only to be shot back in the stomach by dark magical power. Gritting her teeth, she squeezed her eyes shut. If Jellal, the boy with such advanced magical power that he'd been promoted to General despite being so young, couldn't even put a scratch on Hades, then there was no way they were going to win.

They were going to die here.

"They call me Hades for a reason," their opponent stated, stalking towards them. "I am like the devil. You cannot beat me."

"But we have to," Erza choked out, using her sword to prop herself up. "We have to beat you for our friends' sakes."

"Your friends? Are you referring to the Princess?"

"All of them."

Hades stroked his long beard, eyeing the girl. "Based on our information, the Princess hasn't been in this world that long. Not even a year. And considering she's been traveling the kingdom to help everyone, then there's no way that you have been friends with her for much time. What you have is a shallow friendship, one not worth losing your life over."

"That's where you're wrong," Erza replied, narrowing her eyes at the man. "Part of what you say is true. I have not known Lucy for very long. I can't name her favorite food, her hobbies, or much of anything else. And it is true that I know even less of everyone else that has joined us on this mission. But it is worth losing my life over."

"You're saying that you would die over some petty friendships?"

"Our friendships may be new, but they are not petty. We've overcome hardships together. We've seen each other's tears. I am willing to fight and die to keep from seeing those tears."

Hades pointed a finger towards Erza, dark magical power building up. "Then die."

Erza rose to her feet, snatching her sword and cutting the oncoming magical power in half so that it flew past her. "Do not get it mistaken. Although I said I _would_ die for them, that doesn't mean that I intend to just give up. I am going to fight!"

Jellal smiled, watching as Erza requipped into her Flight Armor. Adorned in a cheetah print bandeau, black shorts, stockings, and cheetah ears, her speed was enhanced, making her movements look as though she was flying- hence the name Flight Armor. With her dual-wielded swords, she slashed towards Hades, keeping him on his toes as she kept pressure on him.

Jellal knew better than to let Erza go at it alone. Covering his body in heavenly light, he dashed towards Jose, going in abnormal directions until he was right behind Jose. With nowhere left to go, Jose had no choice but to take the oncoming attack. Erza slashed at his chest while Jellal kicked his back.

Jose fell to the floor, blood oozing from his wounds.

"We did it," Jellal said between pants. There was no way Jose would be getting up any time soon after that attack. Erza had slashed through his chest, and his kick pushed him further into her blade.

"Thanks for the assist," Erza replied, smiling at the boy. Her smile turned into a smirk as she teased, " _General."_

Jellal chuckled. "You don't have to call me that. Though, I'll let Sho keep calling me that."

"So you do like the title?"

"It has a nice ring to it."

Erza chuckled. "Alright, let's go rendezvous with Lucy and the others."

Jellal nodded. They took a step towards the exit before dark magic washed over them, stopping them in their tracks. Turning their heads, they found Hades rising to his feet.

His wounds were gone.

"Th-That's not possible," Erza choked out, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head.

Hades cocked his head to one side, cracking his neck. "Defeating me here is impossible. You should have run when I gave you the chance. Though, it is too late for that now. You're dealing with the devil here, dear."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Levy asked, following Gajeel and Lily. "I thought we were going to go help Erza and Jellal!"

"We are," Gajeel replied.

"But the fighting is that way!" she exclaimed, pointing in the direction of nearby explosions.

"Yeah, but I heard something else. Something ominous."

"What is it?"

"Not sure. That's what were going to go find out."

"Shouldn't we go help them first before checking it out?"

"I've got a bad feeling about whatever this thing is. Besides, we aren't the only ones going to help Erza and Jellal. I could smell Gray and Juvia. They're headin' there too."

"Let's leave helping to them for now," Pantherlily said. "Once we get to the bottom of this, we'll head over there too."

"What is it that you hear anyways?" Levy asked Gajeel.

"It sounds like a heart," he answered. "Dragon slayers have really good hearing, so it isn't weird to hear a person's heartbeat in general. If I really wanted to, I could zone in on yours and listen to it. But I have to try for that. But with this one, even though it's across the castle, I can hear it beating loudly in my ears. There's something off about it."

"Alright," Levy said with a nod. "We'll just have to trust that Gray and Juvia make it there on time."

* * *

Erza watched as Hades shot towards her again. Still in her Flight Armor, she dodged his shots with no difficulty at all, but countering was going to be damn near impossible. Hades was strong both far range and close range.

"You will not get another chance to injure me," Hades said, blasting magical power towards Jellal and shooting him away. Bullet magic didn't sound strong, but it was proving to be a pain in the ass to deal with. "You caught me off guard before, I will admit. But I will not make that mistake again."

Erza ignored him, staggering to her feet and narrowly avoiding getting shot in the arm. Even though the magic hadn't touched her, it was flying fast enough to slice her skin. Blood trickled down her arm, dripping onto the floor.

"Erza, go find Lucy," Jellal said, standing between the redhead and their enemy. "I'll handle him."

"Don't be ridiculous!" she replied. "You can't beat him on your own!"

"We aren't faring much better together either. Our best bet is to have one of us rendezvous with the others so that we can all fight him together. I'll stay behind."

"No! I'm not leaving!"

"We came here to save Lucy!" Jellal snapped, turning his head towards her. "If both of us die here, then we would have failed! Go, Erza!"

The girl plunged her sword into the floor, cracking through the tiles. Propping herself up, she glared at the boy standing in front of her. The boy she loved more than anyone. The boy she would rather die than leave alone.

"I'm not leaving whether you like it or not," she said. "Don't just give up like that, Jellal. It's not like you."

"I just want you to live," he replied with a frown.

"And do you not think I want the same for you?"

"Of course I-!"

"Then let's fight together. Even if we don't win, we can stall him long enough to buy Lucy and the others some time."

"The two of you might not be able to win together, but what about the four of us?" a sudden voice called out.

Erza and Jellal glanced towards the sound of footsteps, finding Gray and Juvia. Juvia wasn't in bad condition, just a couple of scratches and bruises here and there. Gray on the other hand looked like he could drop dead any second. By the weird way his arm was bent, it was clear that it was broken. Broken arm aside, his body was covered in ghastly burns, and he couldn't even walk on his own.

"Gray, Juvia! What are you two doing here?" Erza asked.

"We came to help," Gray answered, balancing himself on his wobbly legs so that Juvia could let go. "We sensed this guy's magic and came runnin' as fast as we could."

"You are in no condition to fight."

"I could say the same about you."

"I am in much better condition than you!"

"Yeah, well you were still gettin' your ass kicked."

Erza glared at the boy, a dark aura surrounding her. Gray's cocky attitude faltered seeing the threatening gleam in her eye.

"Look, just let us help!" Gray said. "The faster we finish, the faster we can go home!"

"How are you even going to fight? Your arm is broken!"

"Make-magic is better with two hands, but unbalanced make-magic is better than none. I can still fight, so quit bein' so stubborn!"

Erza sighed, knowing there was no winning their argument. The four of them turned towards Hades.

"You sure are patient, waiting for us to finish like that," Gray said.

Hades shrugged. "It makes no difference if there are two or four of you and it makes no difference when I kill you. The outcome is the same."

"We'll see about that. Everyone, go!"

The others dashed towards Hades, staying on the offensive. In Gray's condition, he had no choice but to stay back and fight from afar. He watched the others fight, waiting for an opportunity to catch Hades off guard.

Erza noticed quickly that it was easier said than done fighting alongside people she had never fought with before. While she and Jellal were attuned to each other's styles, Juvia wasn't. Every time Erza went to cut down Hades, Juvia would have to hold back her water to keep from hurting the redhead as well.

They were lacking in teamwork.

Erza jumped back beside Juvia. She fought better in close range, but Juvia was the opposite. She had to adapt.

"Heaven's Wheel Armor!" In a flash, she requipped into one of her most basic armors, adorning giant metallic wings that sparkled under the light. Swords floated in the air around her.

Sweat dripped down Juvia's face as she inched away from the other girl. Now she knew never to get on her bad side.

"Go!" Erza shouted.

On her cue, Juvia shot powerful jets of water towards Hades, who shot right back at them and dispersed them with his magic. Using telekinesis, Erza launched swords towards him as well. Hades was on his toes trying to avoid all of them at once.

Jellal jumped high in the air, using Erza and Juvia's distraction to his advantage. Holding his hands out towards Hades, seven magic circles appeared in the air above the man, resembling a constellation.

"Grand Chariot!" he shouted. Light beamed down from each magic circle onto Hades before exploding in a powerful blast that shook the castle's core. Hades' body was left scorched, his clothes tattered from the explosion.

A grin stretched over Gray's face as he was given the chance he needed. He slammed his good hand onto the floor. Ice shot out of the tiles behind Hades, piercing through his abdomen. With a pained cry, the man doubled over and collapsed to the floor.

"Did we get him this time?" Jellal asked, panting. Grand Chariot was a strong spell, its strength rivaling that of a meteor itself. It was a taxing spell that left him breathless.

"We must have," Erza replied. "There's no way he could have survived a direct blast from Grand Chariot _and_ being stabbed by Gray's ice."

"And yet here I am," Hades' voice called out to them.

The four watched in horror as the man rose to his feet once again. The wound from Gray's ice was already gone.

"Wh-What the hell?" Gray let out, his voice shaky. He grabbed Juvia's arm, pulling her behind him. "How are you alive!?"

"It's like I told these brats," Hades started, dusting off his shoulder. "I am like the devil. You cannot-"

Everyone watched as Hades glanced behind him. His eyes were wide and his mouth was parted. For the first time since they'd met him, he looked scared.

"Impossible!" Hades shouted, clutching his chest. "My heart… Who destroyed it?"

"Uhh, what?" Gray asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

Hades glared at the group of ragtag kids in front of him. They were stronger than they appeared, able to take him down if it weren't for The Devil's Heart.

While Hades was never able to acquire immortality like Jose, he was able to get close by creating The Devil's Heart. With it, it was impossible for him to be killed, and his power was heightened. It was his greatest strength, however it was also his greatest weakness. Should it be destroyed, his power greatly diminishes and his invincibility is gone.

And someone had destroyed it.

Footsteps clacked behind the group of teens, three new figures appearing.

"Gajeel!" Gray shouted in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Savin' your sorry asses," the other boy replied, followed by his signature laugh.

"Sorry it took so long," Levy chimed in, standing at the boy's side. "We had to make a quick stop first."

"The thing Gajeel was hearing this whole time was this guy's heart," Lily added.

Erza's brows rose. "His heart?"

"We aren't entirely sure about it ourselves. Perhaps it wasn't his real heart, but it was definitely the source of his power. We could feel dark energy radiating from it halls away. So, we took to destroying it."

"You!" Hades shouted, glaring at the trio. "You three ruined everything!"

"Gihi, you're damn right we did!" Gajeel replied, smashing a fist into an open palm. "And now we're 'bout to wipe the floor with you, old man! Everyone, get up! Let's beat this guy once and for all!"

Grins lit up the room as they started their counter attack. Juvia moved first, sending water flying at him in the form of a whip. Hades dodged by a hair, showing just how weakened he was now that his heart was destroyed. The man used his chain magic to bind Levy's wrists together, catching her off guard.

"Nice try!" the petite girl shouted. Even if her wrists were tied together, she only needed one finger to use her magic. Scribbling into the air, she created a sword at her feet, kicking it up to cut the chains. She followed the attack quickly with lightening that struck Hades directly. It didn't do much damage, but it kept him in his place long enough for Gray to attack.

The ice-make mage shot ice shards out from the ground slicing through Hades' flesh.

Hades wobbled unsteadily. Glaring at the group, he shouted, "Amaterasu: Formula 28!" Magic formulas appeared in the air, encasing the area in a sphere. The area was engulfed in a massive shockwave, shaking the castle.

Luckily, Amaterasu's strength depended on which formula the caster used. In other words, the more magic put into it, the stronger it got, and thanks to Gajeel and the others destroying The Devil's Heart, he didn't have enough power to make it really effective.

Gajeel and Lily moved quickly, dashing towards Hades. They struck him at the same time, Lily using his Busterman Sword while Gajeel used his arm that he morphed into a large steel pillar. A cracking noise sounded once they collided with Hades' ribs, breaking a few bones.

Jellal grinned, thankful that everyone distracted Hades long enough that he could cast another Grand Chariot. Light beamed down on Hades, once again engulfing him in a destructive explosion. Once the light and smoke died down, the group found the man on his knees, panting heavily while blood covered his body.

Erza moved quicker than light, her movements fluid as she used Pentagram Sword to finish him off. She cut into him in the shape of a pentagram, causing him to cry out in pain before collapsing to the ground. Only this time, his was finally down for the count.

Erza fell to her knees in a fit of pants. Sweat coated her skin, and she knew that with the blood and grime that covered her, she looked a mess. Still, her lips curled into a small, victorious smile.

"We did it," she said, her voice hoarse.

Jellal nodded, smoothing a hand over her back. "Thanks to everyone's help."

"Don't mention it," Gray replied. "Now that this guy's down, we gotta go help Natsu and Lucy."

"He still hasn't saved her yet?" Levy asked, her brows drooped in concern.

Gajeel shook his head. "And by the sound of it, he's gettin' his ass handed to him." He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. His eyes opened wide a moment later. "Lucy and the others aren't with Natsu anymore."

"What do you mean? Where are they?"

"They're deeper in the castle."

"Why?"

"My guess is they're running."

"Their opponent is that strong?" Erza asked. She assumed Hades was the strongest on the enemy team. To think that there was someone stronger and that Natsu was fighting them alone… The guy didn't stand a chance.

Levy shook her head. "By all counts, Hades should be stronger. But Jose is supposedly an immortal. There's no way to kill an immortal, is there?"

"Either way, Natsu is fighting him alone," Gray said, a frown resting on his face. "I'm assuming he knew he couldn't win, so he had Lucy run away."

"I can't picture Lucy running away," Jellal replied.

"Me neither, but he is probably having Happy fly her out of there. I know that's what he tries to do whenever they're in danger He did the same thing back on Mount Hakobe."

"You're saying that Natsu is fighting alone even though he knows he'll die?" Juvia asked, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"Exactly. We have to go help him."

"Wait," Gajeel said, crossing his arms. "Yeah, the Salamander needs help, but we came here to save Lucy, right? I say we split up. Those who are in good enough condition will go help out. Someone else needs to get those of us injured out of here, along with Lucy."

"I agree with Gajeel," a familiar voice stated. Everyone turned their heads to find Mira approaching them. Other than a few scratches, she was in great condition. "Sorry I'm late, everyone. My energy was low, so I couldn't run as fast as I would've liked. Anyways, I know that everyone wants to go help out and save Lucy, but there is another goal besides that. We all need to get out of here alive."

"I get it," Gray said, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "You're all sayin' I'm too hurt to help out."

Mira smiled apologetically at the boy. "Sorry, Gray. You'll be on the retreating team. Juvia and Lily, you go with him. Pick up Lisanna and Elfman on your way out. Elfman is gravely injured, so be careful with him. I'm going to be on the team to get Lucy out of here. Levy, you come with me."

"The rest come with me," Erza said. "We'll go help Natsu."

"Shouldn't you be leaving with us? You can barely stand," Gray pointed out.

"I guarantee I can still fight. Now that everyone knows where they're supposed to go, let's head out." Everyone put their hands in a circle, determination gleaming in their eyes. "This is our pact to make it out of here with everyone alive! Got it?"

"Aye, sir!" everyone replied, throwing their hands in the air before splitting up in groups.

Their was only one battle left. They just hoped they would all make it out together.

* * *

 **AN:** Sorry no Lucy and Natsu this chapter! Just wanted to get this Hades battle out of the way haha. Also, the last battle is next chapter! YAY NO MORE BATTLE SCENES AFTER NEXT CHAPTER THANK THE LORD LOL. But don't think that there won't be anymore angst just because there's no fighting. I'm not going easy on you guys with the angst so be ready. ;D

As always, thank you to the reviewers: **animefan393939, Shadow Joestar, valerioux, XxStar'sDustxX, little stuffs, Lexi1994, MasterGildarts, AnonDr, Guest, MOONECLIPSEHQ, MillennialStargazer, shootingstarssel, Guest, stranger1999, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, KadianMikaelson, Nalulove, fieryheart1120, CasTheKing.**


	101. Chapter 101

**AN:** I know it's late in the day for an update. I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this but I kept everyone waiting long enough and I love this chapter so I really wanted to post it haha! Hope you guys like the last battle scene of the story! It's a pretty long chapter haha!

* * *

Chapter 101

Flaming Starlight

Natsu's eyes were heavy, threatening to close for good if he didn't push himself. He kept his gaze trained on Jose, watching for his next attack. His body had been screaming in pain before, but now he was numb to it all, exhaustion washing over him and luring him to sleep. Wobbling legs, blood trickling from multiple wounds, depleted magical power, he didn't stand a chance.

But at least Lucy and Happy got away. That was all he cared about.

"I'll find the girl again," Jose said, referring to Lucy. "And though it will take a while longer than planned, I will get what I want. You, however, will die here alone."

"Happy won't let you get her," Natsu replied, a large grin spreading on his face despite the hopeless situation he was in. "He's faster than anyone I know. You'll never get your hands on Lucy again."

"So, you do not deny that you will die here? You have already exhausted your Dragon Force, which was your ace in the hole. Do you perhaps have other tricks that you are hiding?"

Natsu ignored him, taking deep breaths to make sure he stayed awake.

Jose smiled. "So be it." Extending his hand towards the boy, he shot dark magical power towards him.

Natsu jumped away from it, dodging by only a hair. His legs collapsed beneath him as he was too tired to catch himself. Lying on the floor, he reveled in the cold feel against his cheek. If he was going to die, at least he was comfortable.

Jose approached Natsu, his steps leisure. Standing over him, he raised his booted foot into the air and cracked it down over his back. Natsu cried out, pain erupting from his back.

"I'm going to make this nice and slow," Jose taunted, raising his foot again.

Watching himself get killed didn't sound too appealing. Instead, Natsu squeezed his eyes shut. Pictures of Lucy filled his mind, giving him the relief he needed. He no longer felt any fear or sadness. He did, however, feel regret. Regret for not telling Lucy the truth sooner and regret for not being able to spend another day with her.

But the regret was worth it if it meant she got to live.

Natsu no longer let out sounds of pain each time Jose kicked him. It was as if his soul had already been beaten out of him, his body the only thing to suffer. Recalling all of the amazing times he had with Happy and Lucy, he was ready to die.

Jose peered down at the boy, his lips thinning into an unamused expression. Torturing him was no fun if he couldn't feel pain anymore.

"This is it," Jose said, holding a hand towards him. Purple magical power swarmed in the palm of his hand. "So long, dragon slayer."

Natsu took a shaky breath, ready for what was to come next. Even through closed lids he could still make out the dangerous magic that was just feet away from his head. He was prepared. He knew what he was getting himself into when he came here to save Lucy. He was ready.

He heard Jose shoot.

* * *

"Gray?" Lisanna called out once he saw the boy limping towards them. He was being assisted by Juvia while Pantherlily flew beside them. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're getting out of here," the boy answered. "Your sister found us and said we should split up into teams. All that's left is getting Lucy and helping Natsu out with the last enemy. We're on the retreating team."

What about Mira-nee?" Lisanna asked, a concerned frown spreading over her face.

"She's with Levy to get Lucy and Wendy out of here. The rest are on their way to help Natsu defeat the last enemy. How badly is Elfman hurt?"

"His condition is horrible. I know he has some broken bones."

"That makes two of us."

"You too? How are you even conscious?"

Gray shrugged. "Passing out isn't an option for me. Not until we save Lucy and that flaming idiot. Panterlily, you help Lisanna carry Elfman out of here as gently as you can."

"Shouldn't we stay here?" Juvia questioned. "Moving him is reckless. It might make things worse."

"Natsu, Erza, Jellal, and Gajeel are all gonna be fighting the leader of it all. And knowing Natsu, he's gonna go all ape shit on the guy. They all are. I'm worried this place is gonna collapse with them fighting."

"He's right," Lily chimed in. "Gajeel doesn't know the meaning of holding back."

"Alright," Lisanna said with a frown. "Just be careful, okay? He's already hurt enough as it is, I don't want to make things worse."

"Trust me, he'll be fine," Gray said. Even though he didn't personally know Elfman, he could tell the guy was tough. " _I just hope everyone else will be fine too."_

* * *

Natsu's eyes slowly began to open. Jose's magic should have hit him by now, and if it did, he would have been dead. Perhaps his death was so fast, he didn't even feel anything. Or his body had gone numb to such an extent.

Taking in his surroundings, his gaze landed on the water that was just inches away from his face. Was this what happened after death? Was heaven actually a water wonderland?

He stirred as he felt warmth on his back. It was a familiar feeling, one that he couldn't quite name. Slowly turning his head to find its source, he saw tiny hands hovering over his body, a green light emanating from them.

"Try not to move, Natsu," a familiar voice sounded.

"Wendy? What are you doing here?" he choked out, his voice hoarse and weak just like the rest of him.

"We came back to help," the girl answered.

"We?" Natsu turned his head farther to find Lucy standing in front of him, her back facing him. She was clad in her Aquarius Star Dress, which explained the water bubble around them. A paw landed on his shoulder, Happy moving beside him. Large tears dripped down the exceed's face, soaking into his fur.

"I'm sorry, Natsu," Happy said. His voice was shaky. "I couldn't do it! I-I couldn't leave you in the end!"

Natsu smiled at Happy, who dug his face into his coat and wept, soaking the fabric.

"It's okay, buddy," he replied. He wanted to lift his hand to pet him, but his body didn't have the energy to do so. Glancing towards Lucy, he continued, "Lucy, I-"

"Shut up, Natsu," she interrupted, her voice lower than normal. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides, her body trembling. He didn't have to see her face to know that she was crying. "Please, just shut up. Wendy, heal him as fast as you can. And can you restore his stamina while you're at it?"

"Healing him won't take too long," the girl replied, "but restoring his stamina takes a little longer."

"Well go as fast as you can. I'm not going to be able to beat this guy on my own."

"Okay, I'll do my best!"

"Thanks, Wendy. I'll try to stall this guy in the meantime."

Lucy exited the water dome, planting her feet firmly into the ground as she stared down Jose.

"You came back," the man said. "That's perfect. Now I won't have to hunt you down again."

She ignored him, not in the mood for any rebuttal. Her fingers traced over her keys. She had to stay in her Aquarius Star Dress in order to keep up her water dome to protect the others. She was lucky to have been able to still have a good amount of energy left. It wouldn't do her any good when she was fighting alone, but it was hopefully enough to stall and give Wendy some time to heal Natsu.

She didn't know what she was doing. It wasn't like she was strong enough to beat Jose, but she couldn't just run either. She couldn't just leave Natsu.

" _Happy, put me down!" she had cried, thrashing around in the exceed's hold._

 _"No!" Happy replied. "Natsu is doing this for you!"_

 _"I never asked him to! Hurry up! We have to help him!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, dread building up within her stomach the farther they got from Natsu. "If we don't help him, he'll die!"_

 _"You think I don't know that!?" Happy cried, his claws sinking deeper into her shirt. "Of course I want to go back and help him! But he knew that he couldn't beat him, which is why he's doing this! His wish is for all of us to get out of here safely!"_

 _"What's the point if Natsu doesn't escape too!?" Lucy shouted. "Remember what happened with Karen? We all agreed to never do something like this again! We agreed that we either find another way or we die trying!"_

 _Happy paused, seeing the truth to the blonde's words. They had made a pact after she nearly killed herself in an attempt to save them._

 _"Please," Lucy begged, her voice only a whisper. "Please, Happy. I can't let him die for me."_

 _Before she knew it, they were flying back at max speed._

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Loke!" Lucy shouted, swishing his key. Loke appeared in his usual flash of light, his flirty demeanor replaced with something more serious. Her lips curled downwards into a frown. She wanted to summon a different spirit, one she hadn't already summoned that day so that Loke could get some rest, but he was her strongest spirit and his magic combatted Jose's better than the others'.

"Don't worry, Lucy," Loke said as if reading her thoughts. "I'm in perfect condition."

"Thanks for the help," she replied, cracking her whip. "Ready for this?"

"I'm ready. Let's go!"

Loke dashed forward, keeping Jose on his toes while Lucy stayed a bit farther away with her whip. She would have liked to used Urano Metria or one of her spells granted by her Star Dress, but she was using enough energy as it was by summoning Loke and keeping the water dome over Natsu and the others. If she ran out of energy before Natsu was restored, then there would have been no point of her coming back and they would have been right back at square one. She needed to conserve her energy for when he was back in action. Their only chance at victory was fighting together.

Lucy watched as Jose dodged all of Loke's attacks. He was fast on his feet, she had to give him that. But no matter how fast he was, there was bound to be an opening. And she planned on using that to her advantage.

As Loke swung towards Jose, Lucy got the opportunity she was waiting for. Jose jumped back, his attention focused on dodging the boy's quick hits. Cracking her whip towards the man, she skillfully wrapped it around his wrist.

"Got him!" Lucy exclaimed.

Loke grinned at the girl's success. Following her example, he landed his first punch on Jose, his strength enhanced by the light at his fists and sending him sprawling back.

"Good job, Lucy! Keep it up!" Loke exclaimed.

Jose rose to his feet, dusting himself off.

"It doesn't matter how many times you hit me," he said. "I am immortal. I will always get back up."

Lucy gnawed on her lower lip, turning her head towards Natsu and the others. His gaze was glued to her, his brows drooped in concern as he watched her fight. Even though his body was looking better, she could tell he still didn't have enough magical power to join her.

Jose lunged towards Loke, slamming his palm against his ribcage. The spirit was sent flying back, a pained cry escaping his lips.

"Loke!" Lucy shouted, about to rush towards him when Jose grabbed her by the hair. He held her high in the air, his gaze piercing her.

"Sorry, love. It's time to go," Jose said, holding her firm despite her struggling. "Say goodbye to your friends before I eradicate them."

"Put me down!" the girl shouted. "Let go of me!"

A sinister grin stretched over the man's face, filling her with disgust.

"You remember what I told you about your mother?" he asked, using his other hand to brush some of her hair out of her face. "Remember when I told you I gave her a deal? I think it would be quite amusing to offer you the same deal!"

"You're a scumbag!"

"Be nice, dearie. I'm giving you a deal. I will let you and all of your friends escape _if_ you can tell me my name." Lucy opened her mouth to reply when he slapped a hand over her mouth. "You only get one chance, Princess."

Lucy glared at Jose as he withdrew his hand. It was obvious there was some sort of catch to it, that must have been why her mother answered wrong all those years ago.

"Nothing? Well, that's a shame," Jose said. "Time's up."

He then slammed her head into the cobblestone floor, causing her to see stars. Pain shot through her as she felt warm blood trickle down the back of her head.

"It's time to go," Jose said, going to pick her back up when a fist cracked against his cheek. He was sent flying towards Loke.

Lucy forced her eyes open to find Natsu standing over her, fire enveloping his body.

"You're back," she said, forcing herself to sit up.

Natsu crouched beside her, helping her to her feet. "Yeah. I don't have all my energy back, but I couldn't just sit back and watch anymore. Thank you, Lucy. For coming back."

She looked away. "D-Don't mention it. You would've done the same."

Natsu glanced at his hands, which were still circling Lucy's wrists after he helped her up. This was the most contact he'd had with her since she found out the truth. The fact that she wasn't shoving him away made him happy. Though, in truth she probably just didn't realize that they were still touching.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said, catching his attention. "I came back to help and yet I don't think I'm doing much."

"Don't apologize, weirdo," Natsu replied, smiling at her. "Especially to me."

Lucy bit her lower lip, averting her gaze once again. It pained his heart, but he understood. Their first priority was getting out of there alive anyways. He glanced towards Jose, who was in the middle of fighting with Loke.

"I have an idea," Natsu said. "We need to take this guy down in one go."

"That's easier said than done," Lucy replied.

"I know, I know. Listen, we're gonna try a new spell."

"A new spell?"

"We're gonna do something called a Unison Raid."

"How? I've never done it before!"

"Neither have I," Natsu said, ignoring Lucy's exasperated expression. "You're just gonna trust me on this."

She stared at him skeptically. "Okay. What's Unison Raid?"

"It's a technique where two mages combine their magical power. It sounds easy, but only a select number of people have pulled it off."

"And you think we can do it?"

Natsu nodded. "I do. I'm not sure it will really stop him, though, since he's immortal and all. But it will give us enough time to escape hopefully."

"Alright," Lucy said. "Let's do it."

He held his hands out towards her. "I know you probably don't want to, but holding hands makes it easier to combine our magic."

Lucy stared at his hands, a frown resting on her face. Glancing up at him, she found that he was staring right back at her. Her stomach churned. She wasn't ready to hold hands with him. Hell, she wasn't even sure she could stand being in the same room as him if it weren't for the situation they were in. But considering it was their only option, she had no choice.

Nodding, she slid her palms over his. Natsu took a deep breath, his warm hands tightening over hers. Admittedly, she missed this feeling.

Natsu closed his eyes, leaning forward and resting his forehead on hers. Their lips were mere inches apart, something Lucy wished she hadn't noticed because now all she wanted to do was close the space between them. She cursed herself for it.

"Focus all of your magic into our hands. Try to match mine, okay?" he said.

Lucy nodded. "Got it."

"Loke won't be able to distract that guy for long. This is probably our only shot at this."

"Then let's make sure we get it right."

Natsu grinned. The two closed their eyes, focusing their magic into their hands. Lucy understood what Natsu meant immediately by matching her magic to his. His hands were hot against hers, burning against her skin. She ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.

Natsu's magic was erratic while hers was a steady level. Her eyes nearly shot open as she could literally feel Natsu's magic trying to match hers. It was an odd sensation to say the least.

Warmth bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She could feel the magical power building within her, but she had to contain it. Letting it go too soon would mean disrupting the wavelengths.

"Almost there," Natsu whispered, his face scrunched in concentration. He was never the best at controlling his magic. His magic was impulsive, just like him.

Meanwhile, Jose launched Loke away with a shot of his magic. Feeling a strange sensation in the air nearby, he turned to find Natsu and Lucy with their foreheads pressed together and their hands locked together. The rubble stirred while air circled around them.

"A Unison Raid?" He'd never seen one in person before and he was never able to master it himself. Feeling anxious about the rare technique, he approached the duo quickly.

Loke intervened, wrapping his arms around Jose to keep him from reaching them.

"I'm tired of you!" Jose shouted. Dark energy shot from the ground, enveloping Loke.

Loke grunted in pain as the magic tore away at his health, but he kept his hold on the man firm. He wasn't going to let him get in the way.

Natsu grinned as he could feel their magical power smoothing out into an even match. His body was screaming at him, begging him to let go. Opening his eyes, he gripped Lucy's hands tighter.

"You ready?" he asked.

Lucy opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. "I'm ready."

"We need to release at the same time. Three…"

"Two."

"One. Now, Lucy!"

The two released all of their power. Their hair flew up as a torrent of air circled them. They could feel almost all of their energy depleted in that short moment.

The castle shook with their power as a beam of starlight crashed through the roof and landed directly on Jose. Its light was almost blinding as it sparkled. Two towers of flame spiraled around the light, exploding once they hit the ground. The room was sweltering hot, everyone drenched in sweat in just split seconds of their attack.

Natsu and Lucy collapsed to their knees, unable to hold themselves up any longer. Their energy was all spent up. If Jose was fine after that, then there was nothing they could do.

Lucy hoped their attack worked. Between being incinerated by the starlight or burned to ashes by the flames, no ordinary person would be left standing. Unfortunately, Jose was no ordinary person.

As the light and the flames died down, they waited anxiously for the smoke to clear away.

"Th-That was a strong spell," Jose's voice rang from amongst the smoke. "You surely would have done away with me if it weren't for the fact that I am immortal."

Dread pooled Lucy's stomach, making her nauseous. Her hand flew to her mouth to suffocate the scream that was brimming at her lips. Tears pooled in her eyes, dripping down her cheeks.

It was useless. There was no winning.

The smoke cleared to reveal Jose. His clothes were tattered and his body was blackened with scorch marks. Every strand of hair he had before was gone, burnt away along with much of his flesh. Still, he stood on two feet, as wobbly as he was.

He was invincible.

"No way," Lucy choked out with a sob. "It's impossible!"

Natsu's hold on her tightened as he positioned himself in front of her. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I was really hoping that would stop him."

Jose staggered towards them. Approaching the two, he kicked Natsu out of the way and grabbed Lucy by the collar.

"Do you get it now, dearie?" he gritted out. "There is no beating me! I will never be defeated by the likes of you and your ragtag group!"

A sword flew past Lucy, slicing off Jose's arm that had been used to hold her up. Before she could hit the floor, she landed on something firm instead.

Craning her head to see her savior, she saw many of her friends. Fresh tears burned her eyes as she looked them all over. There was Erza and Jellal, Mira, Levy, and Gajeel, who had been the one to catch her.

"Everyone," she breathed out.

"Not just us," Mira replied, smiling at the blonde. "Lisanna and Elfman are here."

"Same with Gray and Juvia," Levy added. "Lily is with them, helping them get out."

"You all came for me?" Lucy asked, guilt ebbing at her.

"'Course we did," Gajeel replied, setting her down gently. "It's only fair, right?"

"But you guys are hurt! I-!"

"Lucy," Erza interrupted. Her back was turned away from the blonde as she continued, "We did not just do this to repay our debts to you. We did this because you are our precious friend. We know that you would do the same for us and have proven it before, so do not feel guilty."

As grateful as Lucy was, a frown still tugged on her lips as she shook her head. "No, you guys have to run! This guy can't be beaten! He's immortal!"

Erza's brows slanted. They had a tough enough time as it was defeating Hades, who was close to being immortal. Now they were dealing with the real thing?

"Don't worry about us," she said despite her nerves. "We will figure a way out."

Lucy pushed herself up. "Please just go! Natsu and I have tried everything! I don't want you guys to die for me!"

"The Princess is right," Jose said as his arm slowly started to regenerate. "Coming here was foolish. You could have escaped with your lives if you hadn't come here."

"We won't abandon our friends," Erza replied, glaring at him.

"Oh well. I have already lost my patience. You all will die now because you chose to pick a fight with an immortal."

Lucy mulled over his words, nagged by his immortality until she recalled her earlier conversation with Jose.

 _"How did you know about my portals?" Lucy had asked. It was something that had been bugging her the moment he revealed he knew about them. And if she was going to die by his hands, she figured she might as well find out the whole truth._

 _Jose arched a brow. "Why, magic of course. I've known about your power long before you were born."_

 _"How?"_

 _"I can see the future."_

 _"See the future?" Lucy repeated, her eyes wide. She hadn't met anyone with that ability before._

 _Jose smirked. "It's a wonderful power, isn't it? I got it through a deal, one could call it."_

 _"What kind of deal?"_

 _"I got my powers by giving up a part of myself. The ability to see the future, my shades, and my immortality. I got it all through a spell."_

 _"Immortality!? What kind of spell gives you immortality?"_

 _"One that came with a peculiar price. Should I make a deal, I must oblige or else my magic disappears. That is part of the spell."_

Lucy had originally dismissed his explanation, but now her mind was starting to nag at her. Especially with what he said about her mother.

" _You remember what I told you about your mother?" he had asked, using his other hand to brush some of her hair out of her face. "Remember when I told you I gave her a deal? I think it would be quite amusing to offer you the same deal!"_

 _"You're a scumbag!"_

 _"Be nice, dearie. I'm giving you a deal. I will let you and all of your friends escape if you can tell me my name." Lucy opened her mouth to reply when he slapped a hand over her mouth. "You only get one chance, Princess."_

And just like that, the pieces of the puzzle connected. Immortality, deals, taking someone's newborn and the fact that his name was hidden. She had read about all of this in a story before back in her world. A story of a man who had helped spin straw out of gold to help some miller's daughter.

She didn't know how she didn't realize it sooner.

"Wait!" she shouted just before Jose could fire off his magic. "I figured it out!"

Curious, Jose paused in gathering magical power. "Figured what out?"

"Your name. I know your name."

"I highly doubt it. And even if you did, your time already ran out to answer it."

"You never said there was an expiration date on your deal," Lucy said, staring at the man defiantly. A fire was lit in her eyes as she finally had hope. "You only said I had one chance. I'm cashing in now."

Jose smirked. "Alright. Let's hear it then. What is my name?"

Lucy staggered to her feet. "You wouldn't know this, but there's a story about you back in my world. Or, I guess it wasn't really my world to begin with. Either way, I read about you when I was a kid. Obviously, your name isn't Jose. That's a trick, which probably worked on my mother." She noticed his smirk deepen. "At first, I second guessed it because everyone in the book had different names than the ones they had in my world. Mulan was Erza, Aurora was Mira. And I guess Rapunzel was Lucy all along."

Lucy hugged herself. She caught Natsu flinch in the corner of her eye but she ignored it.

"What is your point?" Jose asked.

"You aren't in the book," Lucy answered. "So maybe your name from my world is your real name after all."

Jose's smirk vanished, much to her amusement. She'd wanted to wipe that look off his face since the moment she met him. His body was tense, his hands balled into fists. She was starting to get under his skin.

He was afraid.

"I'm losing my patience with you," Jose snapped. Extending a hand towards her friends, he was about to shoot when Lucy spoke next.

"Your name is Rumpelstiltskin," she said, smirking at him.

The magic at the man's palms died immediately as he stared at the blonde. His eyes widened before he glared at her.

"You do not know if you are right," Jose said.

"If I walk out, I'll find out. That was the deal, remember?" Lucy replied. "You let us go if I guess your name. Either I'm right and you let us go, or I'm wrong and my friends die." Her confidence in her answer hadn't wavered as she continued, "Let's test it, shall we?" She headed towards the door.

Jose watched as Lucy approached the exit. He'd been planning this for centuries. He'd been waiting for her for decades. All of his effort, all of his patience would have been for nothing if she left. No, he couldn't let her leave. Not after everything.

"Stop!" Jose shouted, blasting his magic at the door. The wall surrounding the door crumbled, the exit being destroyed.

"Gotcha," Lucy replied, winking at him. "I know I'm right about your name and you just broke our deal by destroying the exit since you were supposed to let us go. Any second now and your powers should be gone. Say goodbye to your immortality."

Jose's eyes widened, his mouth hanging on its hinges. Sure enough, he felt his powers being sucked out of him. He stared at his hands in terror as they started to age, becoming brittle.

"No!" he shouted. "No, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen!" He turned an angry, fear-fueled stare Lucy's way. "This is your fault!"

"No, it's yours!" Lucy shot back. "You took me from a loving family… You kept me away from the world I was born in for twenty years. You've beaten me, electrocuted me, and worst of all, you've hurt my friends. This is an ending fitting of your story, Rumpelstiltskin."

Jose's body continued to wither and wrinkle until finally, he became nothing more than a pile of ashes. Lucy swayed on her feet, a wave of dizziness hitting her. He was gone. The monster in her life was finally gone.

Lucy sobbed, grateful as Levy ran up to her and wrapped her in a hug. She didn't care who was watching, she just continued to cry. Her body hurt, her heart felt heavy, but there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

Lucy glanced towards Natsu. And just like that, she'd been reminded that the fight wasn't over. There was just one more battle, this time with the love of her life.

* * *

 **AN:** Angst angst angst angst. Sadly I don't have time to write out the reviewers because I'm in a rush but THANK YOU I LOVE YOU GUYS! HOPE YOU ENJOYED!


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